“The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals are our collective response to building a fair globalization” António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General
The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are the world's best plan to build a better world for people and our planet by 2030. The SDGs are a call for action by all countries - developed and developing - to promote prosperity while protecting the environment. They recognize that ending poverty must go hand-in-hand with strategies that build economic growth and address a range of social needs including education, health, equality and job opportunities, while tackling climate change and working to preserve our ocean and forests.
The Goals interconnect and apply to all countries through partnerships and peace. In order to leave no one behind, it is important that we achieve each Goal and target by 2030.
During the second half of 2019 and beginning of 2020, the Cabinet of the Deputy President of the Government in charge of Economic Affairs and coordination of Economic Departments, in its role as National coordinator for the UN Agenda 2030 and the SDGs, conducted a Rapid Integrated Assessment for the Agenda 2030 and a Voluntary National Review (VNR) for the implementation of the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. The process was implemented with wider engagement of the national and local institutions, international partners, civil society, the private sector and the academia.
Major milestones in North Macedonia’s journey towards the achievement of the SDGs:
- In 2016, a Gap Analysis was conducted to assess the degree to which SDGs are incorporated into the national planning documents for sustainable development;
- In December 2018, the National Council for Sustainable Development identified SDG 1, SDG 4, SDG 8, SDG 13 and SDG 16 as five priority sustainable development goals for the period 2018-2020, based on priority activities and measures defined in the Government Programme (2017-2020) and the five pillars of the UN Development Assistance Framework for the period 2016-2020;
- In August 2019, an Initial workshop was organized by UNDP for the Technical Working Group to be introduced with the process of the Voluntary National Review;
- In October 2019, a Preparatory workshop for Rapid Integrated Assessment was held for the experts from the central and local government;
- In December 2019, an “Agenda 2030 Indicator Framework” workshop was organized by the UN Resident Coordinator Office with the participation of 80 representatives from government and UN agencies. Participants and the State Statistical Office endorsed the proposed indicator framework of 100 indicators;
- In December 2019, an open Call was launched for civil society organizations (CSOs) to apply for participation in the VNR process. About 30 CSOs applied and expressed their views on the challenges and potential solutions related to the country’s sustainable development;
- In January 2020, a two-day “Stakeholder engagement” workshop was organized by “Partners for Review” and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on the VNR process. About 40 representatives from academia, chambers of commerce, civil society and Government attended;
- In January 2020, a Call was launched for academia to submit publications and research projects related to SDGs;
- In February 2020, a workshop was organized jointly with the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Swedish Embassy to present and discuss North Macedonia’s “Multi-dimensional Review”;
- In March 2020, a two-day consultation process for the first draft of the VNR report was organized;
- In March 2020, a Youth Forum/Consultation was organized on the VNR;
- In April 2020, the second draft of the VNR report was broadly consulted with stakeholders.
At the Session of the National Council for Sustainable Development held in May 2020, the National Voluntary Review with all supporting documents was presented and was concluded to be submitted for final approval to the Government. The Government adopted the Rapid Integrated Assessment for the Agenda 2030 and the National Voluntary Review for the implementation of the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs and authorized the National Coordinator for Sustainable Development to present it to the upcoming UN High Level Political Forum for Sustainable Development in July 2020.
The North Macedonia National Voluntary Review 2020 was presented on 14 July 2020 during the meeting
of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development convened under the auspieces of the
Economic and Social Council from 7-16 July 2020, which was organized virtually due to the Covid-19
pandemic.
LINKS:
Presentation of North Macedonia VNR 2020
North Macedonia National Voluntary Review 2020 of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development
Sustainable Development Goals 2019 in North Macedonia