High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2023

The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) was held from 10 to 20 July 2023 at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The theme of the 2023 Forum was “Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels.”

The Forum was convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and featured a three-day ministerial segment, a general debate focused on “Building momentum towards the 2023 SDG Summit: Transformation for accelerating implementation of the SDGs,” and a high-level panel discussion on “Strengthening UN system institutions for resilient sustainable development.” The programme also included interactive dialogues and in-depth reviews of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

As part of the voluntary national review (VNR) process, 38 countries presented their national efforts to implement the SDGs, sharing experiences, challenges, and lessons learned with a view to accelerating progress towards the objectives of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The President of Blockchain Alliance International (BAI), Ambassador Alexandru Cujba, together with BAI representatives, closely followed the work of the HLPF, including plenary meetings and side events. While maintaining a holistic perspective across all SDGs, BAI’s engagement focused in particular on discussions related to SDG implementation trends, innovation and infrastructure, and efforts to strengthen United Nations partnerships with the private sector, civil society, and technology companies.

BAI took note of the message delivered by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who underscored that, “halfway to the 2030 deadline, the world is woefully off track,” and that the SDGs Progress Report – Special Edition indicates that progress on nearly half of all SDG targets remains weak or insufficient. Governments were urged to arrive at the SDG Summit in September 2023 with concrete plans, policy commitments, investment strategies, and partnerships to accelerate progress across key SDG transitions.

In addition, the President of ECOSOC, Ambassador Lachezara Stoeva, emphasized that, “to accelerate progress towards the SDGs, we must emphasize innovation, technology, and forge high-impact partnerships,” highlighting the growing importance of collaboration among governments, civil society, the private sector, and academia. Ambassador Csaba Kőrösi, President of the seventy-seventh session of the United Nations General Assembly, similarly underscored the critical role of rapidly advancing technologies and science in ensuring the timely implementation of the SDGs.

Blockchain Alliance International will continue to work closely with its partners to engage major high-technology stakeholders through a series of meetings and dialogues addressing the value, benefits, and practical applications of blockchain, artificial intelligence, and Web3 technologies in support of sustainable development, while fostering effective partnerships with academic institutions and innovators worldwide.