Government strengthens partnership with UN for development goals
The government has renewed its partnership with the United Nations to steer the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and implement the Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2023-2028.
The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), together with the Department of Affairs, held a joint steering committee with the UN to approve the terms of reference (TOR) which will set the stage for coordinated efforts to achieve the SDGs while aligning with the country’s PDP 2023-2028.
“The UNSDCF complements our national development plan, serving as a guiding framework that fosters synergy with the international community,” NEDA Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said.
“By crafting the UNSDCF collaboratively, the government and the UN aim to maximize impact and create a harmonious approach to sustainable development,” he added.
The committee endorsed key documents from the UNSDG Cooperation Framework and reviewed the current UN portfolio in the Philippines, focusing on human capital development, inclusion, and resilience building; sustainable economic development, decent work, and innovation; as well as climate action, environmental sustainability, and disaster resilience.
The UN also presented an overview of resource requirements for the next four years and a joint work plan for 2024 that carries an estimated budget of $211 million.
NEDA presented the TOR for the committee and the joint results group, emphasizing the primary role of each JRG in facilitating the implementation of programming priorities and ensuring internal coherence.
Foreign Secretary Enrique A. Manalo emphasized that the 2024-2028 UNSDCF is aligned with the country’s economic trajectory to become an upper-middle-income country.
“We can all look forward to reaping the benefits of a partnership with the UN that is characterized by Philippine ownership of the process, greater transparency, as well as targeted programs and deliverables tailor-made for us to enjoy the benefits of the reformed United Nations development system,” Manalo said.
The UNSDCF recognizes the Philippines’ localization agenda of the SDGs and its transition toward achieving upper-middle income status to ensure that no one in the Philippines is left behind.
Under this new modality of the UN organization, resources will be allocated to capacity development, technical assistance, policy advice, thought leadership, partnerships, and knowledge sharing.
“The CF marks the start of a new generation of UN-Government cooperation instruments, and with this change, we are innovating ways to enhance our collaborative work with the Philippine government as we shift from traditional development assistance to transformative strategic partnerships for policy and capacity development, knowledge generation and the leveraging of financial resources,” said Gustavo Gonzalez, UN resident coordinator in the Philippines,
The UNSDCF was signed on October 24, 2023 by the government and the United Nations in the Philippines.
The joint steering committee serves as the main governing body of the UNSDCF, which is tasked to provide strategic direction and oversight for UN support in the country towards the joint development priorities outlined in the Cooperation Framework.