The National Council for Sustainable Development (NCSD) was established in 2010 as an advisory body of the Government with a mission to create and maintain conditions for implementation of the "National Strategy for Sustainable Development" which sets direction and road map of the country’s economically, socially and environmentally balanced development in view to European Union integration.
The NCSD is chaired by the Deputy President of the Government of North Macedonia in charge of economic affairs and coordination of economic departments and includes all relevant ministries, executive representatives from the municipalities, as well as representatives of academia and the private sector.
The main task of the NCSD is to ensure consistency in the implementation and monitoring of the National Strategy for Sustainable Development, as well as the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in North Macedonia through the sustainable development programmes of individual ministries.
Implementation of the SDGs in the Republic of North Macedonia is coordinated and monitored through the mechanism of Technical Working Groups (TWGs) set up within the National Council for Sustainable Development.
Members of the National Council for Sustainable Development include:
- Deputy President of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia, in charge of European affairs;
- Minister of Environment and Physical Planning;
- Minister of Local Self-Government;
- Minister of Economy;
- Minister of Labor and Social Policy;
- Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy;
- Minister of Finance;
- Minister of Information Society and Administration;
- Minister of Transport and Communications;
- Minister of Foreign Affairs;
- Minister of Education and Science;
- Minister of Health;
- Minister of Justice;
- Representative from the Macedonian Academy of Sciences and Arts;
- Representative of the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia,
- Representative of the Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies of North Macedonia
- Representative of the Economic Chamber of Northwest part of North Macedonia
- Representative of the Chambers of Commerce of North Macedonia
- One expert on sustainable development, two economics specialists, one expert in the area of social development, and one expert in environment protection, proposed by the following state Universities: Ss Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, St. Kliment Ohridski University - Bitola, University Goce Delcev - Shtip, State University of Tetova – Tetovo and South East European University – Tetovo.
Session of the National Council for Sustainable Development, 25 December 2018, Skopje, North Macedonia
Members of the NCSD are also two Members of Parliament upon proposal of the Assembly of the Republic of North Macedonia, without the right to vote. The members of the Technical Working Group can also participate in the work of the NCSD, with the right to discuss but without the right to vote. If necessary, other Ministers, directors, experts on specific issues may be invited at the sessions of the Council, without the right to vote.
The National Council on Sustainable Development works through sessions.The Council meets at least twice a year. A session of the Council may be held if a majority of the total number of members of the Council is present at the session and the Council makes decisions by a majority of the votes of the total number of members present at the session.
In the context of the National Council on Sustainable Development the Deputy President of the Government of the Republic of North Macedinia will convene a Strategic Advisory Committee (SAC) to support the NDA in decision-making on GCF matters. The NCSD will validate the recommendations of the SAC and the final approval function will be responsibility of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia.