15 July 2019: An event on the sidelines of the 2019 UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) focused on the G20’s role in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and provided insights into the G20 development agenda.

The event titled, ‘The 2030 Agenda under the Japanese Presidency of the G20,’ was organized by the Government of Japan and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), and included a number of panel discussions. Participants discussed the ways in which Japan is committed to achieving the SDGs by highlighting support for, inter alia, World Trade Organization (WTO) reform and the concept of ‘Data Free Flow with Trust,’ which aims to increase accountability in the digital world.

A panel on ‘Outcome of the G20 Osaka Summit’ presented the main results of the G20 Osaka Leaders’ Declaration, which addresses Japan’s priority areas for the G20: quality infrastructure; disaster risk reduction (DRR); marine plastic litter; climate change; women empowerment; health; and education.

Princess Haifa Al Mogrin, Saudi Arabia, announced the priorities for her country’s G20 Presidency in 2020, underscoring women’s empowerment and youth, infrastructure, food security, energy, human capital, climate change, inclusive business, water, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

During another panel titled, ‘Analysis on G20 Contribution to the Implementation of the 2030 Agenda,’ Kerri Elgar, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), presented the report titled, ‘G20 Contribution to the 2030 Agenda: Progress and Way Forward,’ which explores the ways in which the G20 could collectively contribute to the SDGs. She highlighted opportunities for: lowering costs of remittances to generate at least USD 25 billion a year by 2030; increasing female participation in the workforce and reducing the gender gap by 25% by 2025; and cooperating on tax transparency, which has already resulted in USD 95 billion in additional revenue since 2009.

Mansour Ndiaye, UN Development Programme (UNDP), recommended areas for further work, including: fiscal space; industrialization and trade; quality infrastructure, including energy; harnessing science and technology for innovation; and climate action, with a focus on DRR.

The panel on ‘Empowering Future Generations’ included a presentation of the World Bank’s Human Capital Project, which aims to accelerate investments in people for greater equity and economic growth. Youth participants highlighted the importance of: rights at work and social protection; equal pay for equal work; programmes for youth professional development; investment in soft skills, such as communication and collaboration; and adoption of transparency rules for sustainable businesses.

IISD Reporting Services is covering selected side events during the 2019 HLPF. [IISD RS Coverage of Side Event on the 2030 Agenda under the Japanese Presidency of the G20] [G20 Japan 2019 Website]