The event brought together experiences from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Saint Kitts and Nevis, and marked the global launch of the self-paced training on Voluntary Local Reviews.

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) called for intensified local action to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during a side event at the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. The event emphasized the importance of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) and the localization of the 2030 Agenda in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Titled Latin America and the Caribbean in the final five years of the 2030 Agenda: Territorialization and the role of Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) until 2030, the event aimed to promote dialogue, the exchange of best practices, and peer learning around the opportunities offered by SDG localization and VLRs. These tools were presented as key for strengthening intersectoral, multilevel, and multisectoral governance in the region, ultimately accelerating the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda.

The event was opened by ECLAC’s Executive Secretary, José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, who warned that progress toward the SDGs in Latin America and the Caribbean remains insufficient and underscored that the success of the 2030 Agenda depends on effective implementation at the local level.

He also highlighted the strategic role of Voluntary Local Reviews as key tools for localizing the SDGs and fostering more integrated and multisectoral cooperation over the next five years.

Participants included representatives from Saint Kitts and Nevis, the State of Aguascalientes in Mexico, and Brazil, who shared notable experiences on SDG localization in their respective contexts. The event also featured contributions from the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), ECLAC’s Latin American and Caribbean Institute for Economic and Social Planning (ILPES), and the ECLAC Office in Argentina.

Valeria Torres, Chief of the Public Management and Open Government Area at ILPES, announced the global launch of the course Territorialization of the Sustainable Development Goals in Latin America and the Caribbean, designed by ECLAC. The course is virtual, free of charge, and self-paced, and includes thematic modules, automated quizzes, and complementary readings. Upon completion, participants will receive a certificate issued by ECLAC.

Closing the event, Javier Medina Vásquez, ECLAC’s Deputy Executive Secretary a.i. and Officer-in-Charge of ILPES, emphasized that achieving the SDGs relies on their effective implementation at the territorial level through strengthened local governments and comprehensive, inclusive public policies.

He reiterated that Voluntary Local Reviews are a fundamental tool for accelerating sustainable development and invited participants to enroll in the virtual course and join the regional learning community promoted by ECLAC.