As a contribution to the post-215 debate,the Social Development Division of ESCWA organized a meeting of the advisory board of the joint publication,The Future United Nations Development Agenda Beyond 215on 8 and 9 November 212 at United Nations House in Beirut. The meeting,which reviewed the draft chapters of the report,brought together representatives from the Department of Economic and Social Affairs,ESCWA,and the three regional commissions in Africa (ECA),Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP),and Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) which have contributed to drafting chapters of the report,in addition to prominent resource persons.
The opening session included an overview of the ongoing global consultations on the post-215 United Nations development agenda,followed by four thematic sessions which corresponded to the main chapters of the report. These were: (i) a historical perspective on the current MDG agenda; (ii) a review of progress in the implementation of MDGs; (iii) key global and regional priority development issues beyond 215; and (iv) the way forward: conclusion and recommendations.
At the conclusion of the presentations and discussions,recommendations were made on how to improve the content of the different chapters while ensuring that the report maintained an integrated,inter-regional approach. Participants provided overall guidance including a general structure for the final chapter. The meeting concluded with an agreement among participants on a clear timeframe to ensure the submission of the report to the United Nations Chief Executives Board (CEB) and the High- Level Panel of Eminent Persons on the Post-215 Development Agenda by March 213.