How commitments are recorded
Voluntary national reviews of the Sustainable Development Goals
Short answer
- Basis
- Paragraph 79 of the 2030 Agenda 1
- Where presented
- High-Level Political Forum, New York, each July 2
- 2026 forum
- 7 to 15 July 2026 3
- VNRs presented in 2026
- 36 countries 3
- 2025 forum
- 14 to 23 July 2025 4
- Database coverage
- VNR reports from 2016 through 2026 2
What the 2030 Agenda says
Paragraph 72 of the 2030 Agenda commits governments to systematic follow-up and review over fifteen years 1. Paragraph 74 says follow-up and review will be voluntary and country-led and will take account of different national realities, capacities and levels of development 1.
Paragraph 79 encourages member states to conduct regular and inclusive reviews of progress at national and sub-national levels, which are country-led and country-driven 1. It says national parliaments and other institutions can support these processes 1. Paragraph 84 says the forum, under the Economic and Social Council, shall carry out regular reviews, which will be voluntary 1.
How a VNR is presented
The forum page says VNRs are presented at the High-Level Political Forum held annually in July at UN Headquarters 2. A compilation of the main messages from each year's VNRs is published before the forum in all official UN languages 2. For 2026 that compilation carries the symbol E/HLPF/2026/5 2.
UN DESA runs workshops for each year's VNR countries 2. For 2026 the first global workshop took place in Rome from 16 to 18 December 2025 and the second in Brasília from 8 to 10 April 2026 2.
Countries that presented in 2026
The 2026 forum reviewed SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11 and 17 in depth 3. Its ministerial segment ran from 13 to 15 July 2026, as part of the High-level Segment of ECOSOC 3. The theme was transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda 3. The 36 presenting countries are listed below in the order the forum page gives them 3.
| Countries, A to J | Countries, K to Z |
|---|---|
| Albania, Algeria, Bahrain, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cabo Verde, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo 3 | Kiribati, Liberia, Malawi, Marshall Islands, Mozambique, Norway, Republic of Moldova, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis 3 |
| Egypt, Estonia, Gabon, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Italy, Jamaica, Jordan 3 | Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Somalia, Switzerland, Togo, Tonga, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay 3 |
How a VNR differs from a commitment registry
A VNR is a progress report by a state on goals all UN members adopted. A voluntary commitment, such as an ocean commitment, is a pledge registered by a government or other actor on a UN platform 5. The 2030 Agenda says the outcome of national processes will be the foundation for regional and global reviews 1. The forum page says the VNR process can strengthen accountability through evidence-based reporting 2.
The Agenda sets out what feeds the global review. Paragraph 83 says the forum will be informed by an annual SDG Progress Report prepared by the Secretary-General with the UN system, based on the global indicator framework and on data produced by national statistical systems 1. It will draw on the Global Sustainable Development Report as well 1. Paragraph 77 says national reports will allow assessments of progress and identify challenges at the regional and global level 1.
Where to read the reports
The forum keeps a VNR database with reports from 2016 through 2026 2. The page links the Secretary-General's voluntary common reporting guidelines for VNRs 2. The ECOSOC President's letter naming the countries for 2027 is posted on the same page 2. A virtual knowledge exchange on approaches and tools for the 2026 VNRs was held on 12 February 2026, and summaries of the VNR Labs held during the 2026 forum are posted there 2. The 2025 forum ran from 14 to 23 July 2025, with its ministerial segment from 21 to 23 July 4.
Common questions
Are voluntary national reviews mandatory?
No. The 2030 Agenda says follow-up and review will be voluntary and country-led 1.
How many countries presented a VNR in 2026?
36 countries presented at the forum held from 7 to 15 July 2026 3.
Where can I read past VNRs?
In the forum's VNR database, which covers 2016 through 2026 2.
When was the 2025 High-Level Political Forum?
From 14 to 23 July 2025 4.
Rules and charges change. Check the official source linked on this page before you pay or travel. Spotted an error? Email hello@statementsofrecord.com.
Sources
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- How public commitments are recorded
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