All governments from developing countries confront the challenge of designing coherent policies that can simultaneously accelerate growth, reduce poverty and inequality, preserve and improve the environment, and help adapt/mitigate to climate change. To successfully achieve these objectives, countries need both i) sound institutional arrangements for policy integration; and ii) quantitative analytical capacities to assess policy options. The ultimate aim is to foster a cohesive policy…
Frontier technologies carry a promise to fast track the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through supporting innovative, forwarding-looking policies and solutions. There are, however, numerous risks and complexities of digital technologies that come along with those opportunities, as well as policy and regulatory challenges. In recent years, relatively new approaches of policy experimentation and regulatory sandboxes have emerged among countries, and have proven to be effective in…
Data and related issues and developments in the public sector have become increasingly important in terms of government analysis and operations, academic research, and real-world applicability and acceptance. Data are now integral to every sector and function of government—as essential as physical assets and human resources. Much of the operational activity in government is now data-driven, and many Governments would find it difficult, if not impossible, to function effectively without data…
The need to support countries formulating policies and strategies for MSME resilience has been recognized by the General Assembly resolution A/RES/74/270 . In the Secretary-General’s report ‘Shared responsibility, global solidarity: Responding to the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic’ , supporting MSMEs is outlined as a focus area to tackle socio-economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Supporting MSMEs and informal workers is also included as one of the five pillars in the…
The Office of Intergovernmental Support and Coordination for Sustainable Development (OISC/DESA) of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), United Nations is continuously developing its programme of capacity development related to the Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) with a view to strengthen the capacities of countries presenting their VNR at the high-level political forum on sustainable development (HLPF) in 2022 and 2023.
The voluntary national reviews (VNRs) aim to…
This project aims to strengthen the capacity of Mauritius, Seychelles, Guinea-Bissau and Jamaica to formulate and implement integrated and coherent national planning and policy that promote social inclusion, macroeconomic stability, effective governance, protection of the environment and mobilizes stakeholders. Based on integrated planning methodologies and the principles of blue and green economy, the focus will be to support the development of economies that are resilient, diversified and…
SIDS have been persistently lagging other comparable economies in the developing world on the path to sustainable development. This is caused in part by the diverse characteristics of SIDS, which include low- and below sea-level- lying coastal communities, multi-island jurisdictions, and their attendant vulnerabilities. Many also have small populations or limited usable land area, which limits their development options. The COVID-19 pandemic and the increasing frequency and intensity of…