SDG Summit

What Works to Accelerate Progress Towards SDG17 "Partnership for the Goals"? Presenting Lessons from the Global SDG Synthesis Coalition

The SDG Summit Side Event of the Global SDG Synthesis Coalition provided an important platform to present the Coalition’s key insights, which draw from the lessons presented in the Partnership Pillar synthesis commissioned to the American Institutes for Research.

The event was sponsored by H.E. Ms. María Inés Castillo, Minister of Social Development, Panama, and H.E. Dr. Agnes Mary Chimbiri-Molande, Malawi’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations. 

It was co-hosted by UNDP’s and UNICEF’s Evaluation Offices on behalf of the Coalition. The event fostered an insightful exchange on the synthesis report, and the added value of the Coalition’s efforts in the broader context of the international effort for accelerating progress towards the SDGs. Key discussants included H.E. Eva del Hoyo, Director General for International Cooperation of The Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, a key donor and partner of the Coalition; as well as H.E. Marianne Bigum, Honorable Member of Parliament from Denmark and chair of the all-Party Parliamentary Network for the 2030 Agenda (the 2030 network) accompanied by Sara Krüger Falk, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Denmark and Chair of the 2030 Panel; Dr. Joseph Capuno, Undersecretary, Investment Programming Group, National Economic and Development Authority of the Philippines; Dr. Christian Rogg, Director of the Development and Open Societies Directorate of The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom; Mr. Daniel Ortega, Director, Contributions to Development and Impact Measurement, Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean / Board Member of the Campbell Collaboration and Ms. Estefania Charvet, Director of Programmes and Research from Southern Voice.

DATE: Sunday, 17th September 2023 (“Acceleration Day”)

TIME / DURATION: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

LOCATION: Conference Room 11 (Secretariat Building)

TOPIC:  SDG17; Partnerships; Trade; Finance; Technology; Capacity Building; Systemic Issues; Evaluation; Evidence Synthesis; Data

WATCH: Link To the Video Recording

About the Coalition:

The Global SDG Synthesis Coalition comprises 43 UN entities, as well as several bilateral and multilateral organizations, and global evaluation and synthesis networks. It is co-led by UNDP and UNICEF, and the Secretariat is based at UNDP’s Independent Evaluation Office. This initiative aims to synthesize evaluative evidence on the five SDG pillars: People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace and Partnership.  From these syntheses, the Coalition will provide findings and lessons on what development initiatives and approaches work for achieving the SDGs. 

Description of event:

This event showcased key lessons from the first synthesis on the Partnership Pillar (SDG 17). Topics covered included finance, trade, technology and some aspects of capacity building and systemic issues. The scope of the synthesis addresses transitions and enablers of the High Impact Initiatives, including digital public infrastructure, SDG stimulus, trade, and the data dividend. The lessons from the synthesis suggest ways in which Member States and other stakeholders, such as civil society and the private sector can work in partnership to catalyze greater achievement on the SDGs. Building on the Coalition’s session at the 2023 HLPF, a prominent panel returned to further discuss the final lessons of the synthesis report. This includes Member State representatives, and partners from stakeholder civil society networks involved in advocating and promoting the use of rigorous evidence to inform decision-making on the SDGs. 

Sponsors & co-host on behalf of the Global SDG Synthesis Coalition Steering Committee: 

1. H.E. Ms. María Inés Castillo, Minister of Social Development, Panama
2. H.E. Dr. Agnes Mary Chimbiri-Molande, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of Malawi to the United Nations 

Co-host on behalf of the Global SDG Synthesis Coalition: 

• Ms. Isabelle Mercier, UNDP Director, Independent Evaluation Office 
• Mr. Rob McCouch, UNICEF Director, Evaluation Office

Discussants: 

1. H.E. Mr. Rytis Paulauskas, Permanent Representative of Lithuania to the UN
2. H.E. Ms. Marianne Bigum, Honorable Member of Parliament from Denmark and chair of the all Party Parliamentary Network for the 2030 Agenda- (the 2030 network)
3. Ms. Sara Krüger Falk, Executive Director, UN Global Compact Network Denmark and Chair of the 2030 Panel
4. Mr. Christian Rogg, Director, Development and Open Societies Directorate, The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom
5. Dr. Vivian Welch, Editor in Chief, Campbell Collaboration
6. Ms. Estefania Charvet, Director of Programmes and Research, Southern Voice

Presenter:

• Dr. Thomas de Hoop, Team Leader, Partnership Pillar Synthesis, American Institutes for Research
• Ms. Ana Rosa Soares, Chief of Evaluation Synthesis and Lessons, Head of the Global SDG Synthesis Coalition Secretariat 

Voluntary commitments/concrete actions to be made at the side-event

• We will present final lessons from the Partnerships Pillar synthesis, which address what works for progress towards SDG17, in terms of development initiatives in the thematic areas of trade, finance, technology, capacity building and systemic issues.
• We will commit to, as a pre-existing cross-sectoral Coalition, ensuring the accessibility of evidence and lessons from the syntheses to promote their uptake by Member States and key stakeholders.
• We will reinforce our commitment as a cross-sectoral and cross-thematic partnership to realising the completion of further syntheses by the 2024 Summit of the Future
• We will explore ways to align our evidence products to support the HIIs and efforts on 'transformations through science' as mentioned in the Global Sustainable Development Report 2023.