26 October 2016
UNDP Knowledge Exchange Considers SDG Implementation in Asia-Pacific
Photo by IISD/ENB | Kiara Worth
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The UNDP held a Regional Knowledge Exchange on Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Asia-Pacific Region, where participants exchanged expertise and ideas on how to make progress on the SDGs.

Luc Stevens, UNDP Thailand, reported that most countries in the region have taken concrete steps to integrate the vision, goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda in national planning, prioritization, budgeting, monitoring and data systems.

25 October 2016: More than 150 government delegates and development experts from 36 countries in Asia and the Pacific exchanged views on how to make progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), during the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Regional Knowledge Exchange on Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The Knowledge Exchange took place from 24-25 October 2016, in Bangkok, Thailand, as part of a week-long Regional SDG Forum hosted by UNDP, taking place from 21-27 October. During the Knowledge Exchange, participants considered: integrating the 2030 Agenda into planning and budgeting; supporting integrated approaches and identifying accelerator interventions; monitoring, reporting and evaluation; partnerships; financing options for the 2030 Agenda; and the way forward, among other topics.

Haoliang Xu, UNDP, highlighted the Regional Knowledge Exchange as a platform for sharing experiences that should accelerate SDG implementation. Luc Stevens, UNDP Thailand, reported that most countries in the Asia-Pacific region have taken concrete steps to integrate the vision, goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda in national planning, prioritization, budgeting, monitoring and data systems.

As reported on the Regional Knowledge Exchange website, Alex Tilman, Office of the Prime Minister, Timor Leste, said his country’s national parliament unanimously adopted the SDGs through a resolution, and called for the Timor Leste government to align all its budgeting and planning systems with the Goals. He also noted that his government passed a law to ensure that future budget and planning systems are consistent with the SDGs. He further outlined how a strategic development plan aiming to transform Timor Leste into a high-medium-income category is aligned with the SDGs. Noting his country’s situation, he characterized the SDGs as a framework to reconstruct and build national statehood.

Nepal has benefited from the practice of mainstreaming climate change into national budgets, and the same methodology will be applied to the 2030 Agenda.

Poch Sovanndy, Ministry of Planning, Cambodia, reported that: many workshops have taken place with line ministries in Cambodia; work has been done on selecting indicators by sectors; and line ministries are now formulating their 2017-2030 targets. As part of next steps, Sovanndy said Cambodia is intending to create an SDG framework that will contain goals, targets and indicators for the country, to be adopted by ministries and the government and mainstreamed into the national plan.

Renaud Meyer, UNDP Nepal, said Nepal has just approved and formulated a new multi-year national planning tool for the country, and is planning to mainstream SDGs at the local level, in district development plans. On budgeting, he said, for many years Nepal has benefited from the practice of mainstreaming climate change into national budgets, and the same methodology will be applied to the 2030 Agenda.

The Regional Knowledge Exchange website also includes videos with national and international officials, photos essays, participants’ presentations and other supporting documents. [Regional Knowledge Exchange Website] [UNDP Press Release] [Welcoming Remarks from UNDP Resident Representative]

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