Library Talk – Capacity building for global action to achieve Agenda 2030

Excellencies,
Ladies and gentleman:

It is a pleasure to be part of today’s Library Talk on “Capacity building for global action to achieve Agenda 2030”, a key subject that needs to be discussed now, at an early stage of the implementation process.

The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development marks a turning point for all of us: the UN, Member States, the many stakeholders and every individual of the planet is called upon to act for a better and more sustainable world.

The true test for this new framework will be its implementation : to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the highest-level political commitment will be essential, as well as the collective and united effort and the engagement of all actors, at all levels.

The framework document adopted by 193 Member States in September is very clear on the required means of implementation: the scale and the ambition of the new agenda require a “revitalized Global Partnership”, including:
- the mobilization of financial resources,
- a truly multistakeholder process,
- adequate capacity building, and
- transfer of environmentally sound technologies.

These are some of the elements at the core of the means required for a successful implementation of the SDGs.

The framework document has a specific paragraph on “Capacity-building” (paragraph 17.9) stating that we need to “enhance international support for implementing effective and targeted capacity-building in developing countries to support national plans to implement all the Sustainable Development Goals, including through North-South, South-South and triangular cooperation”.

Capacity building is indeed much needed in many countries. Let me give you a few examples: The availability and access to data - much needed for the formulation of evidence based policy planning and action - is indispensable. Supporting countries to improve their data baseline for the various targets is essential. Similarly, capacity-building support in water and sanitation-related activities and programmes, as well as with regard to information and communications technology will be crucial.

Another example is the need to strengthen local, national and international institutions, with the aim to strengthen governance at all levels.

The fields in need of capacity building go beyond the examples I have just listed. The UN is ready to support Member States to “nationalize” and translate the entire new 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into local action. UNITAR, the UN System Staff College and other UN agencies providing training support have already started and prepared a training kit.

Let me turn to the important role that ‘International Geneva’ will play in capacity building for the implementation of the SDGs. Geneva is home to the largest knowledge reservoirs in basically all the areas relevant to achieving the SDGs, as you can see in this leaflet produced by my office in September, just before the formal adoption of the SDGs.

This self-assessment of UN partners in Geneva which illustrates on which SDGs they can contribute to is being revised as we speak.

The nexus between research and training is again an evident feature of Geneva. UNRISD and UNITAR, representing the many Geneva based actors in their respective fields of expertise, will tell us more about it in a moment.

Training is a fundamental part of capacity development. It entails generating, mobilising and sharing research results and evidence based knowledge, which is the principal ingredient of informed policy making.

I look forward to the discussion today and I thank you for your attention.