Welcome to the United Nations
Countries face common challenges in moving from siloed elaboration and implementation of policies to the formulation of integrated policies reflecting the interrelations across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and addressing cross-cutting sustainable development issues such as poverty eradication, climate change and food security. To realize the vision of the Agenda 2030 of leaving no one behind and to ensure inclusive development, countries will also need to ensure more inclusive, accountable and participatory policymaking and public service delivery. This requires, among other things, organizing government and related institutions engaged in SDG implementation and making them effective, inclusive and accountable. It also calls for strengthening public servants’ capacity to implement the SDGs through the development of new skills, attitudes and behaviours and through new ways of working together across organizational boundaries.
The objective of the Project 1819G is to strengthen the capacity of selected developing countries in Asia and the Pacific in organizing and mobilizing their institutions and public servants to enhance effectiveness and institutional coordination, public accountability, and engagement of key stakeholders in the implementation and review of the SDGs. The project is structured around two expected accomplishments, namely: (i) Improved capacity of beneficiary countries to mobilize public institutions and build their capacities for SDG implementation and review, according to country-specific circumstances and priorities, as well as ensure public accountability and engagement of key stakeholders; (ii) Enhanced capacity of beneficiary countries to formulate strategies and policies to strengthen the technical capability and skills of civil servants to support SDG implementation and review. Recipient countries will also be encouraged to participate and present their findings during the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), as well as to take part in other related divisional capacity development workshops.
Project code: 1819G
Primary division: UN DESA/DPIDG
Partners: ESCAP, UNDP
Funding source: Development Account
Time frame: April 2018 – 31 December 2021
Focus countries: Laos, Bhutan, Fiji and Vanuatu
Thematic areas: Governance and Institution Building
Advisory Missions
Scoping Mission to Laos, December 2017
Both UNCT (particularly the RC) and key institutions in Government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Planning and Investment, Laos Statistical Bureau, etc.) expressed appreciation for the Mission as an opportunity to provide a cohesive vision to ensure full ownership and institutional coordination for service delivery for the SDGs, apart from cohesive funding towards common objectives.
Scoping Mission to Bhutan, May 2018
Mission to Bhutan to advance institutional engagement for DA Project implementation (Growth National Happiness Commission, Royal Civil Service ) and discuss institutional arrangements for implementing an SDG dashboard to track targets and promote policy integration, in partnership with UNDP and other UN agencies.
Organization of Regional Workshop, Laos Workshop, 3-4 October 2019
The Workshop was attended by senior SDG focal points from 18 Ministries. On the first day, the main theme was vertical and horizontal institutional coordination for innovation and public service delivery, with emphasis on homegrown cases presented by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MOHA) and gender (LWU) and overall community engagement for service delivery, including inter-agency group discussions.
On the second day, there were presentations from Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI), Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES), Ministry of Health (MOH), with emphasis on sectoral contributions into the 9th National Socio-Economic Development Plan with participatory discussions on how to mainstream the SDGs into it, including inter-agency coordination aspects.
Main conclusions: The Workshop represented a relevant exchange between SDG focal points, thus outlining practical inter-agency suggestions and areas for cooperation. This mechanism should become institutionalized as part of the SDG Secretariat and/or through the Governance thematic working group. UN DESA, together with the UN system as whole, remains available to facilitate the preparation of the 9th NSEDP together with the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, in close compliance with national priorities as defined by Lao PDR.
Workshops
National Workshop on Institutional Arrangement for 2030 Agenda - Advancing Coordination and SDGs Integration in Lao PDR, 3-4 October 2019 - [Event Page] and [Report]
Organization of a Webinar with the Government of Lao and One-Door-Service Centers (Local Level), 6 April 2021 - [Report]
Peer-to-Peer Learning International Workshop on One-Door-Service Centers (ODSCs); 4 August 2021 - [Event page] and [Report]
National Workshop on Implementing the ODSCs in Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR)- 4 August 2021 - [Event page] and [Report]
Inter-ministerial Technical Workshop on Implementing the One-Door-Service Centers (ODSCs) in Lao People’s Democratic Republic; 28 October 2021 – [Event Page] and [Report]
Inter-ministerial Policy Workshop on Implementing the One-Door-Service Center (ODSCs) in Lao People's Democratic Republic; 23 November 2021 - [Event Page] and [Report]