February 2014: The UN Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing (ICSDF) is inviting input from interested stakeholders on the topic of ‘Institutional arrangements, policy coherence, synergies and governance issues.’ Submissions are being accepted through 22 February 2014, via the UN Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform, and work on this cluster is expected to continue through May.

This topic corresponds to the work of the ICSDF’s Thematic Cluster 3, which is co-facilitated by Committee members: André Lohayo Djamba, Democratic Republic of the Congo; Tonis Saar, Estonia; and Amjad Mahmood, Pakistan. The co-facilitators request submissions that address how to achieve institutional and governance arrangements that: are aligned with a coherent sustainable development agenda; and allow for a coherent financing strategy.

The framing questions for consideration in stakeholder submissions address the international and national levels, as well as cross-cutting issues. Regarding the international level, framing questions relate to, inter alia: shortcomings, gaps and/or overlaps in financing for sustainable development; achieving greater coherence between the UN, international financial institutions (IFIs), multilateral development banks (MDBs), groups such as the Group of 20 (G20), and bilateral actors; better integration of international public finance; enhancing the effectiveness and coherence of international monetary, financial and trading systems; and enhancing the private sector’s contribution to sustainable development financing.

At the national level, suggested areas for input include: governance arrangements that facilitate greater policy coherence across ministries and agencies; and national-level reforms to increase private finance to sustainable development objectives. Regarding cross-cutting issues, framing questions relate to, inter alia: international-level measures that would most effectively contribute to domestic resource mobilization for sustainable development, and facilitate implementation of a national financing strategy; and accounting, reporting and monitoring rules and standards most supportive of sustainable development.

The Committee was established following a mandate from the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD, or Rio+2o), and held its first session in August 2013, and its second session in December 2013. Comprised of 30 experts nominated by the UN regional groups, the Committee is tasked with proposing a strategy to mobilize resources for sustainable development. The Committee will hold its third session from 3-7 March 2014. [ICSDF Webpage for Input on Cluster 3] [IISD RS Coverage of Second Session of ICSDF]