Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka Statement to Session 9 at HLPF (13th July 2016):
Mainstreaming SDGs into national policies, plans and strategies and intergrating the three dimensions of
sustainable development.
Uchita de Zoysa (Chief Negotiator for Sri Lanka to HLPF 2016 / Sustainable Development Advisor of the Ministry of
Sustainable Development and Wildlife Sri Lanka)
Thank you Mr. Moderator,
1. Our work Sri Lanka towards formulating a “National Sustainable Development Roadmap” includes mapping out roles
and responsibilities of national implementation of the SDGs and developing strategies for capacity building.
2. The main challenge we have faced is that the 2030 Agenda for the SDGs in its universal approach has not defined a
clear implementing plan or methodology at regional and national levels.
3. In fact, this provides us an opportunity to define the national SDGs implementation mechanism and chartering our
visions and pathways for the transformation.
4. We have taken a strategic position that the 17 SDGs are thematic clusters and that the 169 targets provide a better
focus for national sustainable development interventions.
5. Therefore, we have commenced a convergent systems linkages mapping process between and amongst the 169
targets and the 400+ mandated implementing agencies – not the 50+ line ministries.
6. We have made significant progress already in an exhaustive mapping process that we believe will lead towards
building new rationales for national policy planning and sectoral selection for investing in development
programmes.
7. We have also commenced transcending beyond inter-agency policy fragmentation by facilitating inter-agency
processes and working closely with the National Planning Department to ensure Sustainable Development is
integrated into the mainstream public policy, strategy and development investment programmes.
8. With a ground breaking model for implementing SDGs in hand very soon, we are looking forward to sharing our
experience with other countries and extending our cooperation in the transformation which must be at global level.
9. As an example, we are partnering with ESCAP in developing an analytical framework for implementing SDG6 in Sri
Lanka and will be demonstrating the national application experience at a regional workshop in October this year.
10. I must also state that when translating the 169 targets into a national context, we are setting much higher levels of
benchmarking for baseline setting. We will be adding our own targets as well.
11. For example, $1.25 for poverty eradication cannot satisfy national aspirations for high wellbeing levels of all our
citizens.
12. We will be setting higher standards for targets and indicators, and all public sector ministries and agencies will soon
be mandated to integrate all three dimensions of sustainable development in in their planning and implementation
of all projects and programmes.
13. In conclusion of my brief remarks, I would like to state that the National sustainable development reporting will be
based on a set of standards, guidelines and indicators developed nationally to reflect national aspirations for
wellbeing and prosperity of all citizens.
Thank you!
Mainstreaming SDGs into national policies, plans and strategies and intergrating the three dimensions of
sustainable development.
Uchita de Zoysa (Chief Negotiator for Sri Lanka to HLPF 2016 / Sustainable Development Advisor of the Ministry of
Sustainable Development and Wildlife Sri Lanka)
Thank you Mr. Moderator,
1. Our work Sri Lanka towards formulating a “National Sustainable Development Roadmap” includes mapping out roles
and responsibilities of national implementation of the SDGs and developing strategies for capacity building.
2. The main challenge we have faced is that the 2030 Agenda for the SDGs in its universal approach has not defined a
clear implementing plan or methodology at regional and national levels.
3. In fact, this provides us an opportunity to define the national SDGs implementation mechanism and chartering our
visions and pathways for the transformation.
4. We have taken a strategic position that the 17 SDGs are thematic clusters and that the 169 targets provide a better
focus for national sustainable development interventions.
5. Therefore, we have commenced a convergent systems linkages mapping process between and amongst the 169
targets and the 400+ mandated implementing agencies – not the 50+ line ministries.
6. We have made significant progress already in an exhaustive mapping process that we believe will lead towards
building new rationales for national policy planning and sectoral selection for investing in development
programmes.
7. We have also commenced transcending beyond inter-agency policy fragmentation by facilitating inter-agency
processes and working closely with the National Planning Department to ensure Sustainable Development is
integrated into the mainstream public policy, strategy and development investment programmes.
8. With a ground breaking model for implementing SDGs in hand very soon, we are looking forward to sharing our
experience with other countries and extending our cooperation in the transformation which must be at global level.
9. As an example, we are partnering with ESCAP in developing an analytical framework for implementing SDG6 in Sri
Lanka and will be demonstrating the national application experience at a regional workshop in October this year.
10. I must also state that when translating the 169 targets into a national context, we are setting much higher levels of
benchmarking for baseline setting. We will be adding our own targets as well.
11. For example, $1.25 for poverty eradication cannot satisfy national aspirations for high wellbeing levels of all our
citizens.
12. We will be setting higher standards for targets and indicators, and all public sector ministries and agencies will soon
be mandated to integrate all three dimensions of sustainable development in in their planning and implementation
of all projects and programmes.
13. In conclusion of my brief remarks, I would like to state that the National sustainable development reporting will be
based on a set of standards, guidelines and indicators developed nationally to reflect national aspirations for
wellbeing and prosperity of all citizens.
Thank you!
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