5 September 2017: The Second Regular Session of the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Executive Board discussed the UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021. The Plan focuses on UNDP support for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the country-level, including “signature development solutions” that will aim to demonstrate “tangible progress” towards SDG achievement on the ground.
The UNDP Strategic Plan focuses on two objectives: to optimize UNDP’s capacity to help countries to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; and to respond effectively to new and emerging needs around the world. To achieve these goals, UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner said UNDP will enhance its responsiveness to diverse country demands and varying national circumstances, with a focus on reaching the poorest and most marginalized. He said UNDP will help countries to pursue development pathways of their choice, in support of the overall goal of achieving the SDGs.
In his remarks to the Board, Steiner stressed that 114 governments have requested support from UN Country teams on SDG orientation. These requests for support range from assistance to mainstream SDGs in national development plans to SDG governance architecture. In addition, Steiner said UNDP has provided integrated policy support to 19 countries and plans to support an additional 10 by the end of 2017. In preparation for the 2017 session of the High-level Political Forum (HLPF 2017), UNDP supported 29 countries in preparing their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs). UNDP is now supporting 16 countries to prepare National SDG Country Reports in their national language.
Steiner stressed the importance of ensuring that people stay out of poverty, explaining that the “number of people who fall back into poverty is equivalent to two in every seven who escaped it since 1990.”
Steiner elaborated that UNDP will work to deliver development solutions for diverse contexts on a range of development priorities, including poverty eradication, jobs and livelihoods, governance and institutional capacity, and disaster preparedness and management. Steiner emphasized the importance of both leaving poverty and staying out of poverty, noting that the “number of people who fall back into poverty is equivalent to two in every seven who escaped it since 1990.” Steiner said “signature development solutions” will aim to generate positive transformations to help countries achieve the SDGs and will address interlinkages between different interventions and sectors and build on complementarities with UN partners.
Also on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Steiner highlighted the mapping of the UN Development System functions and capacities, which identified UNDP as a “people and planet agency” with demonstrated capacity as a convener and integrator across the agenda. Steiner explained the mapping identified UNDP’s focus on goals related to poverty (SDG 1 (no poverty), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth) and SDG 10 (reduced inequalities); governance (SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions); and planet (SDG 13 (climate action, SDG 14 (life below water) and SDG 15 (life on land).
The first full draft of the Strategic Plan is expected to be presented to the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Executive Board during its meeting, which is taking place from 5-11 September, in New York, US. Steiner also informed the Board that he is reviewing UNDP’s current business model with the aim of making UNDP more financially sustainable while also accelerating delivery of quality programmatic results to achieve the SDGs. [UNDP Administrator Statement] [UNDP Executive Board Website]