ABSTRACT
The United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) is a pivotal actor in facilitating the implementation and monitoring the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the global level. By producing key materials like the annual SDGs Report, UN DESA provides United Nations member states and stakeholders with critical information about SDG implementation progress, as well as policy analysis and advice to address challenges and identify areas with high potential for SDG acceleration. It contributes to global dialogue and cooperation around international development issues through its secretariat role in the High-level Political Forum, mandated to oversee the follow-up and review of the SDGs. Fostering capacity-building and peer-learning at the national level is also a pillar of UN DESA's work. The knowledge-gathering and exchange opportunities created by UN DESA contribute, for example, to the production of states’ Voluntary National Reviews, a crucial monitoring and accountability tool within the international development framework.
