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1. INTRODUCTION

The Third High Level Political Forum ( HLPF)  on Sustainable Development was held in at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from July 9^th-18^th, 2018. This year’s HLPF theme was “ Transformation Towards Sustainable & Resilient Societies.”

The HLPF was  also reviewing progress towards the SDGS and focusing in particular on:

• Goal 6. Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
• Goal 7. Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
• Goal 11. Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
• Goal 12. Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
• Goal 15. Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss
• Goal 17. Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, that will be considered each year:

Key messages that were highlighted from the Secretary General’s Report and several other plenary sessions were that:

• World leaders committed to reaching those furthest behind. However, this point was somewhat by Jeffrey Sachs who challenged that SDGs are achievable but not being achieved.
• Proportion of people living below the poverty line is more pronounced in rural areas, if the Leave No One Behind clarion call has to be realized, development has to start from the periphery coming in.
• Transitioning to sustainable societies hinges on responsible resource management by ALL.
• Six key transformation for the SDGs were highlighted as: Education, Inclusion, Skills, Innovation, Health & wellbeing and Clean Energy.
• The importance of Data and addressing inequality were emphasized. Data was emphasized as the livelihood for decision-making and providing raw material for accountability.

As part of the wider Major Groups, the HLPF afforded us an opportunity to add our voices to the dialogue under review in several ways.

2. SIDE EVENTS

This is the first time the Executive Members of the NGO Major Group-Africa attend the HLPF as a group. The HLPF was an important opportunity for learning, networking and engagement. In addition to being presented with the opportunity to learning from the experiences of 47 countries that were presenting their Voluntary National Review, the 2018 had over 260 side events covering a whole range of issues on the SDGs particularly on the six SDGs under review. We particularly benefited a great deal from attending and participating in several side events. The side events were not only informative, but they also helped showcase Africa as a continent with vast resources that if effectively managed have the potential to meaningfully contribute towards the achievement of the SDGs . Out of the 260 side events, we were able to attend and participate in several which not only empowered us with information, but also an opportunity to explore linkages with other NGOs from across the globe.

In addition we also attended several other special events for example Thailand and Egypt Voluntary National Review on the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development 2017. We particularly found these events enlightening on how member states can localize the VNR so that even when they are not presenting at the HLPF, the government is compelled to update its performance annually and be accountable to its citizens.

• NMGA organized and cooperated in the following events :

The session tackled the case of water from an international perspective in the African continent and how it effects states relations, especially states sharing Niles. The current situation shows that the world is suffering from the growing problem of lack of water as a result of climate change, environmental pollution, and increasing population in relation to the fixed water resources.The event recommended the need to find sources of funding for water and sanitation projects, develop effective local, regional and international water policies and create a successful “Mechanism of implementation”. The session also recommended civil society organizations to develop a mechanism of dialogue between the government, the private sector and stakeholders concerned with water issues, in order to develop mechanisms to reconcile various water policies such as agriculture and other industrial policies. This mechanism will allow the exchange of ideas from different points of view and ultimately lead to a significant positive development in water crisis.

This event was in relation with African Union agenda 2063 and SDGs which attracted a good number of participants and showered how important it was , the side event was organized by the Zambian government in partnership with MAAT ,AU ECOSOCC and NGO Major Group Africa. This event was every big success ,and the Event was Presided by the Zambian Deputy Ambassador & Minister Councilor to UN,Mrs Christine Kalawima ,Him.Biyika Laurence Songs ,Member of Parliament of the Republic of Uganda and Chairman Uganda Parliamentary committee on Climate Change . It was noted that green economy is the most important aspect in promoting peace in the region and if its mishandle can results in to conflicts and in order to address the issue of green economy it was also noted that all other stake holder should always be involved in order to promote peace in the region and capacity building workshop should always be organize to sensitize the communities .

NMGA organized this event in cooperation with African Union Citizens and Diaspora Directorate (CIDO) and African Union, Economic Social and Cultural Council (AU ECOSOCC)

The  event highlighted that 2018 high-level policy forum focused on environmental aims. This shows that the international community has become aware of the seriousness of the environmental situation on the whole world . the event also tackled the importance of cooperation among governments, Civil society and private sector. As well; we highlighted the positive steps in the African continent towards Agenda 2030 and 2063. However, the continent still faces several challenges that it must strive to overcome. In addition, we pointed out the current environmental risks facing the whole world, and in order to overcome these risks; officials and stakeholders should promote the green economy, so that, it can achieve financial

3. NETWORKING

As a fairly newly NGO Major Group to attend the HLPF, it was a very conducive en

vironment to orient us as the NGO Major Group-Africa to the global NGO Major Group. Several engagement meetings were organized by the Global Organizing Partners ( OPs) that introduced to how the NGO Major

Group functions and the roles expected of us as Regional OPs.

Each day there were debriefing meetings for all Major Groups and a particular for the NGO Major Group. All these spaces were invaluable in the information and capacity building that they provided. It was gratifying to receive commendations on our work as the NGO Major Group- Africa. Our organization through the development of the strategic plan and communiqué that we had widely shared were highly commended and recommended to other OPs to emulate. Of note was that these were initiatives we undertook without any outside funding but through individual contributions as sign of our commitment to the noble cause of development on our continent.

4. DIPLOMATIC ENGAGEMENTS

Despite our being first time attendees to the HLPF as the NGO Major Group- Africa, I think we did fairly well in our quest to link up with diplomatic missions from the Africa continent. During the course of the HLPF, as the NGO Major Group-Africa Executive, we were able to secure and held meetings with the following:

1. Ambassador& Permanent Representative, Frederick M. Shava ( Permanent Mission of the Republic of Zimbabwe to the United Nations).
2. Ambassador & Permanent Representative, Martha Ama Pobee ( Permanent Mission of Ghana to the United Nations.

Both meetings provided us an opportunity to gain insights into how as NGOs from Africa we can effectively engage with our governments and the wider diplomatic community. Both ambassadors were very positive in our potential to meaningfully contribute to the collective development on our continent. Both ambassadors stressed the need to build strong relationships between NGOs and our governments in a manner that is both sensitive and cooperative if we are going to move Africa forward. The need for strengthening the continental Secretariat now under MAAT was highly emphasized.

5. CONCLUSION

The HLPF 2018 provided us with an invaluable opportunity for learning, networking and capacity building. Civil society voice, to which the NGO Major Group-Africa contributed in several ways and in different platforms, could not be ignored during the HLPF deliberations. This is an experience and opportunity that the Regional OPs and all NMGA stakeholders should take advantage of always inorder to effectively coordinate the mandates thrust upon us.

2030 Agenda review, on national, regional and global levels, shall “promote accountability to our citizens, support effective international cooperation in achieving this Agenda and foster exchanges of best practices and mutual learning. It will mobilize support to overcome shared challenges and identify new and emerging issues.” (A/RES/70/1 §73)
The NGO Major Group Africa participated in the just ended 4th Partners for Review Meeting which took place in Tbilisi; Georgia from April 11 – 12, 2018.
The fourth Partners for Review network meeting, organized by GIZ on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety (BMUB) and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), was hosted by the Administration of Government of Georgia (AOG) and carried out in joint cooperation with the United Nations Department for Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).
The Partners for Review consolidates a network of stakeholders from government, civil society, academia and the private sector involved in national review processes. By focusing on lessons learned and knowledge sharing, the network enables demand-oriented learning on new and emerging challenges of SDG review, follow-up and implementation on the road to 2030.
The meeting aimed at address cross-cutting challenges of national implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the imperative of strengthening stakeholder participation and engagement, both in national review processes and VNR preparations at country level.
The key objectives of the 4th Partners for Review meeting were as follows:
– Enable peer-to-peer dialogue on common challenges and solutions by
– Giving an introduction to prospective reporting countries about the next steps and activities for VNR preparations by presenting best practice from countries who have already reported at the HLPF
– Deepening discussion and exchange with countries who have already presented their VNR and set up national review mechanisms regarding follow-up activities after receiving recommendations at the HLPF
– Create a safe space for communicating challenges faced during VNR preparations
– Identify and communicate good practices and success factors
– Learn from a comparative analysis conducted by P4R as regards the VNRs at the HLPF 2017 to facilitate national implementation and
– Consolidate the Partners for Review as a community of practice for national implementation. Participants at the meeting benefitted from peer expertise in the issues of (i) effectively coordinating and synchronising the work of ministries, parliaments and government institutions with regard to
reviewing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda (whole-of-government approach), (ii) institutionalising the active involvement and participation of non-government stakeholders (whole-ofsociety approach), (iii) improving data collection and management and (iv) strengthening national review and monitoring mechanisms by taking into account the regional and sub-national levels.
Mr. Kofi Kankam; the NGO Major Group Organizing Partner for West Africa who represented the NGO Major Group Africa at the meeting led a working group on the topic ” Alignment of the 2030 Agenda with the 2063 African Agenda”. Attached is a copy for his full representation.
In his closing remarks, the leader of GIZ, Mr. Thomas showed his appreciation to all delegates and entreated all participants to ensure to put into use all that has been learned and shared. He further advised we all make it to the HLPF and promote the concept of the VNR to ensure governments are put on their toes in the implementation of the SDGs.
The next Partners for Review meeting was scheduled for October 2018 in Berlin; Germany and the meeting was successfully brought to a close by the leader of GIZ.

Introduction

The Sub-Regional Facilitators who form the  NGO Major Group for Africa  (NMGA)held a three day Strategy Meeting in Cairo, Egypt, from 19-21 March 2018. This was the first meeting for the newly elected NGO Major Group Sub-Regional Representatives, representing all the five Blocs of Africa (Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern and Central). It was also the first time that the NGO Major Group for Africa leadership was sitting to develop a forward looking strategy that will support Africa Civil Society engagement with the United Nations, Africa Union and other Development actors in realizing both Africa’s Agenda 2063 and the Agenda for Transformation by 2030, commonly known as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Agenda.

Context

The NGO Major Group for Africa recognizes the exciting opportunity provided by the two Development Agenda i.e. AU Agenda 2063 and the UN Agenda 2030, as well as the emerging development frameworks by other stakeholders. It also comes during a period when the Africa continent is committed to a Common and collective Trade Zone, as well as specific reforms of both the Africa Union (as proposed by The Kagame Report) and the United Nations (as outlined by the Secretary General).

In this regard, engagement with the UN and Africa Union is not only a necessity for Civil Society across Africa, but requires a forward looking strategy that goes beyond existing frameworks.

We have therefore resolved as follows:

1. Scope of Engagement

The NGO Major Group for Africa will engage on all aspects of UN agenda that affect our development. This includes, but is not limited to General Assembly second and third committees (including SDG Agenda, Climate Change and Financing for Development), UN Agencies, as well as other Member State engagements that have a direct bearing on the continent. This is no way an expansion  of the scope of the NGO Major Group beyond that outlined in Section C Paragraph 42 to 55 the Rio+ 20 outcome document  “ The Future We Want”  read together with the UN General Assembly Resolution 67/290 paragraph 8c,13,14,15,16, 22 and 24.  Instead it is a recognition of the inter-linkages of sustainable development agenda and the realization that the United Nations does not engage in silos. This is in line with Principles outlined in The Future We Want Outcome Document of the Rio +20 Summit, which is the basis for the SDG Agenda.

We have also resolved that our Geographical scope will be directed by the quest for a United Africa as outlined by the Africa Union agenda 2063. In this regard, we have resolved that Northern Africa shall be part of the NGO Major Group for Africa, working in collaboration with the Major Group for Middle East and Northern Africa (MENA).

2. Strategic Focus and Objectives

We will focus on the following Three Strategic Pillars:

1. Institutional capacity and strengthening
2. Programming and advocacy

• Resourcing and sustainability

These pillars will be realized through the following objectives:

1. To strengthen Africa CSOs voice and capacity to influence the sustainable development agenda.
2. To build the institutional capacity of the NGO Major Group for Africa and its stakeholders.
3. To support and influence the AU and UN reform agendas for inclusive and sustainable development.
4. To promote engagement and establish linkages between African CSOs and various stakeholders for sustainable development.

3. Structure and Governance

We have resolved the following:

3.1 . The Chair of the NGO Major Group for Africa will be Ayman Okeil, Executive Director for MAAT for Peace and Development and the Sub-Regional Facilitator for Northern Africa.

MrAyman Okeil (Northern Africa Regional Organizing Partner) shall serve for a period of one year effective 21st March, 2018. Thereafter the Executive Team has the option to either renew, or rotate the Chairmanship among the five representatives.

3.2. There shall be Four Leaders of each of the  Strategic Pillars as follows:

Judith Kaulem (Southern Africa Regional Organizing Partner) shall serve as  the Head of the Institutional Capacity and Strengthening pillar.

Henry Oriokot (Eastern Africa Regional Organizing Partner) shall serve as the Head of Programming and Advocacy pillar.

Kofi Kankam (Western Africa Regional Organizing Partner) shall serve as the Head of Resourcing and sustainability pillar.

Bernard Lutete (Central Africa Regional Organizing Partner) shall be identified with a department but in the interim will provide technical backstopping across the three pillars

4. The UN NGO Major Group–AfricaSecretariat

We have agreed that:

4.1 The NGO Major Group- Africa Secretariat shall in the interim be hosted by Maat for Peace and Development, Cairo, Egypt.

4.2 Maat for Peace and Development has agreed and accepted to provide a fully functional secretariat for the UN NGO Major – Africa in the interim.

4.3 The Secretariat shall work in consultation with the functional Heads and approval from the Executive Committee on all matters of concern.

5. Engagement of Wider Civil Society from across Africa

Each of the Sub-Regional Facilitators is responsible for Mobilization and ensuring engagement of  as many CSOs as possible from their Region. In this regard we will strive to have national representatives from as many countries as possible, and strive to ensure a wide engagement and collaboration with other CSO Coalitions, Networks, Organizations and all partners working on areas of interest to the NGO Major Group.

We shall also work to strengthen our collaboration and engagement with other NGO Major Groups around the world, as well as other UN Major Groups and Stakeholders in Africa.

6. Meetings

All  meetings of the Sub-Regional Facilitators shall be held as need arises, but no later than at least once every three months. The Sub-Regional Facilitatorsshall have the responsibilities for fundraising to meet the costs of running the activities of the NGO Major Group for Africa including the physical meetings.

A full  Strategy Document will be made available by  the end of April  2018.

It shall be available on our new website:

https://ngomajorgroup.africa

Contact us:

• NMGA Sub-Regional Representatives:

Ayman Okeil : [email protected], [email protected]

Judith Kaulem: [email protected]

Kofi Kankam: [email protected]

Henry Oriokot :[email protected]

Bernard Lutete: [email protected]

• NMGA Secretariat:   [email protected]