United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)
1. Since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, has the governing body of your organization taken (or will it take) any decisions or new strategies to guide the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs? If any, please provide a brief summary below, including the overarching vision of your organization.
- The United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) is fully committed to contributing to the achievement of the SDGs, while delivering on its mandate to support Member States in achieving inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID). The UNIDO medium-term programme framework (MTPF) 2018-2021, adopted by UNIDO's governing body, the Industrial Development Board (IDB), provides strategic guidance for the programmatic activities of the Organization to realize its mandate of supporting countries in achieving inclusive and sustainable industrial development (ISID). The MTPF 2018-2021 integrates for the first time all levels of the Organization's performance and its development results, from the management of its internal operations to the achievement of industry-related SDGs. The MTPF makes explicit reference to the SDGs framework in level 1 of the UNIDO integrated results and performance framework (IRPF), which represents the results side of the MTPF and which reflects the global development results as reflected in the progress achieved on the overall 2030 Agenda. Overall, the new IRPF is designed to make UNIDO an even more results-oriented, transparent, efficient, and trusted partner to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The MTPF 2018-2021 introduces the new strategic priority of "strengthening knowledge and institutions", which includes industrial policy analysis, capacity-building services on industrial statistics, follow-up and review activities on industrialization-related matters in the context of the SDGs and policy advisory services vis-à-vis the SDGs implementation.
2.1 SDG-specific strategies, plans or work programmes
- UNIDO is in the process of elaborating a strategy to report on SDGs via our delivery of technical cooperation in our administrative system. The basic idea is that, by linking the Organization´s results-based management´s code to the respective SDGs that the related project is addressing, thus, when UNIDO project managers are reporting on results-based management (RBM), they will also be reporting on SDGs implementation.
2.3 Readjusting or updating results-based budgeting and management, including performance indicators:
UNIDO has been mainstreaming RBM throughout the Organization for the past ten years. The current medium-term programme framework (MTPF) underlines the importance of a strengthened RBM system and introduces an integrated results and performance framework (IRPF) which includes a set of proposed indicators, grouped in two tiers, which support the monitoring and reporting of results. The first tier tracks the expected contribution and relevance to development results at the global, regional and country level while the second captures elements of the Organization's internal performance. The level 1 of the first tier tracks contributions at the global level and in order to achieve this goal uses a set of SDG indicators related to inclusive and sustainable industrial development, namely:
i. Indicator 1.7/SDG indicator 1.1.1: Proportion of population below the international poverty line, by sex, age, employment status and geographical location (urban/rural)
ii. Indicator 1.8/SDG indicator 7.1.1: Proportion of population with access to electricity
iii. Indicator 1.9/SDG indicator 7.3.1: Energy intensity measured in terms of primary energy and GDP (megajoules per US$ constant 2011 PPP GDP (Units))
iv. Indicator 1.10/SDG indicator 8.1.1: Growth rate of real GDP per capita
v. Indicator 1.11/SDG indicator 8.5.2: Unemployment rate, by sex, age and persons with disabilities
vi. Indicator 1.12/SDG indicator 11.6.2: Annual mean levels of fine particulate matter (e.g. PM2.5 and PM10) in cities (population weighted)
vii. Indicator 1.13/SDG indicator 17.2.1: Net official development assistance, total and to least developed countries, as a proportion of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) Development Assistance Committee donors' gross national income (GNI)
viii. Indicator 1.14/SDG indicator 17.3.1: Foreign direct investments (FDI), official development assistance and South-South Cooperation as a proportion of total domestic budget
ix. Indicator 1.15/SDG indicator 17.11.1: Developing countries and least developed countries' share of global exports
3.1 Mainstreaming the SDGs in development plans and policies or through national sustainable development plans/strategies:
In regards to the implementation of specific programmes integrating technical assistance, analytical research and capacity-building activities, the UNIDO Programme for Country Partnership (PCP) is an innovative model for accelerating the achievement inclusive and sustainable industrial development, therefore it is an instrument to operationalize the Organization's mandate and, by extension, SDG 9. PCP is always aligned with the national development agenda and focused on sectors with high growth potential, it is meant to rest on a multi-stakeholder partnership led by the host government. This programme includes the identification of priority industrial sectors or projects, namely those with a strong potential for job creation, increasing exports and attracting foreign direct investment. Within the framework of the PCPs UNIDO conducts value chain assessments within these sectors and advises on which interventions are required to advance inclusive and sustainable industrial development.
3.2 Mainstreaming the SDGs in sectoral strategies, including specific SDG/target strategies:
UNIDO's participation in UNCT/ CCA and UNDAFs exercises has positioned the Organization as a reference for including industry-related SDGs and targets in National Agendas, raising its visibility and expand cooperation to all SDGs relevant to its mandate on inclusive and sustainable industrial development in the following areas:
• SDG 9, 8, 10 for industrial development, employment, SME development
• SDG 7 and 13 for environment, green industry and economy resilience and climate change
• SDG 1 and 2 for poverty reduction, agribusiness, food security, nutrition, human security
• SDG 5 for gender issues
• SDG 15 and 11 respectively for land management and sustainable cities and communities
• SDG 3 for good health and well-being
In addition, UNIDO is expanding its participation to new areas such as that of post conflict/ peace building or resilient communities under SDG16 thus contributing in achieving a balance between the three dimensions of sustainable development and in particular between the humanitarian/development nexus.
In this vein, within the context of participation in the UNCTs, UNIDO:
i. Chairs the Economic Growth group in Nigeria, Guinea, Cote d'Ivoire, Senegal, Lebanon
ii. Chairs the "Decent Work" working group in Kenya, Ethiopia and Sudan.
iii. Chairs the thematic group on Energy in Egypt
iv. Leads UNCT on Sustainable Development and Innovation in Uruguay.
v. Vice- chairs the group on Climate Change and Environment in China.
vi. Co-convener of the Eco-Transformation group in Mozambique
vii. Co-chairs on Economic Development in Armenia
viii. Leads the results team on Human Security in Egypt.
3.3 Data and statistical capacity building:
- As the custodian agency for six SDG targets under the Goal 9 -namely targets 9.2.1; 9.2.2; 9.3.1; 9.3.2; 9.4.1; and 9.b.1- UNIDO Statistics Division has carried out a diversity of technical, analytical and capacity building activities, as summarized below:
• An Internet based data platform where UNIDO Member States and international data users can find time-series data on Goal9-related indicators by country. The platform provides the necessary statistical information for monitoring the progress achieved by Member States on achieving sustainable and inclusive industrialization.
• An analytical publication titled Statistical Indicators of inclusive and sustainable industrialization was released. This report presents the methods used for the consolidation and compilation of these indicators and describes the baseline scenario including a set of currently available data.
• The UNIDO Statistics Division conducted a number of workshops and training activities for member-states on SDG Indicators. Most of these activities have become an essential part of ongoing technical assistance activities implemented by UNIDO in the field of industrial statistics. These workshops were conducted in Laos, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Oman and Ukraine. Additionally, SDG related topics were included in other training programmes which were conducted by UNIDO in cooperation with other agencies. Such programmes include:
i. An International Workshop On Industrial Statistics held in April 2017 in Beijing in cooperation with the National Bureau of Statistics of China;
ii. A Regional Training Programme held in Panama in May 2017 in cooperation with ECLAC and the UN Statistics Division.
• UNIDO also contributed to the international conference on statistical capacity building for monitoring of sustainable development goals conducted by Federal Statistical Services of Russian Federation and UNECE.
4.1 Supporting the intergovernmental body of your organization in contributing to the thematic review of the HLPF:
- UNIDO's Industrial Development Board was invited in 2016 to provide its input into the HLPF process on issues related to inclusive and sustainable industrialization. The subsequent report was among the thematic reviews provided by 48 functional commissions and other intergovernmental bodies and forums to the 2016 HLPF, along with 22 voluntary national reviews.
The 2017 HLPF, under the theme "Eradicating poverty and promoting prosperity in a changing world", was of particular relevance to UNIDO as it featured an in-depth review of SDG 9 among the six selected goals. In April 2017, the President of the Industrial Development Board (IDB) submitted substantive inputs to the President of ECOSOC to showcase UNIDO's contribution towards advancing the 2030 Agenda in general, and, in particular, the SDGs and their targets that are most relevant to UNIDO's mandate. As the specialized agency of the United Nations mandated to support countries in achieving inclusive and sustainable industrial development, UNIDO contributed not only to SDG 9, but also to all other SDGs reviewed at the 2017 HLPF. This fact was highlighted in the above-mentioned submission.
4.2 Contributing to policy/background briefs for the HLPF:
UNIDO's active involvement in 2017 HLPF included the facilitation of a substantial background note on SDG9 . As one of the co-leads on SDG9 at ECESA Plus level (together with ITU, UNCTAD, UNESCO, WIPO and the World Bank), UNIDO submitted the final document consolidating the inputs provided by eleven UN entities, in addition to UNIDO.
4.3 Helping organize SDG-specific events in the preparatory process:
In December 2016, UNIDO assisted UN-DESA in the facilitation of an Expert meeting in preparation for HLPF 2017, entitled Readying institutions and policies for integrated approaches to implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The meeting aimed to explore how far we have gone in ensuring that institutions are organized and equipped to deliver integrated plans and policies. It focused on the group of SDGs reviewed by the HLPF in July 2017, namely the SDGs on eradicating
poverty, ending hunger, ensuring healthy lives, achieving gender equality, building resilient infrastructure and promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and oceans (Goals
1, 2, 3, 5, 9 and 14) as well as SDG 17 on means of implementation.
4.4 Organizing side evens or speaking at the HLPF:
For HLPF 2016, UNIDO and the United Nations Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States organized a side event entitled "Leaving no country behind— sustainable industrialization and infrastructure to support
landlocked developing countries (LLDCs)". The event
raised awareness of policy tools on the industrialization- infrastructure development nexus for achieving
sustainable development in LLDCs.
UNIDO also played an active role throughout the 2017 HLPF, making statements at numerous sessions, including during the thematic reviews of SDG9 and SDG5, and during the General Debate, during which the concept of inclusive and sustainable industrial development featured prominently. UNIDO also hosted a joint side event together with the Office of the High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States (OHRLLS) titled "Accelerating inclusive and sustainable development in landlocked developing countries through structural transformation" that featured Ministers from Zambia, Nepal, Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia.
4.5 Supporting VNR process:
- UNIDO is actively supporting its Member States to monitor and review their respective implementation of the SDGs through the VNR process:
• UNIDO actively participated in the VNR presented by the Government of Uruguay to the 2017 HLPF. The UNIDO Office in the country was specifically acknowledged in the report, particularly in the section focused on the national implementation of SDG 9 - build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. The UNIDO Representative in the country participated in round discussions, sharing knowledge on SDG 9 through awareness-raising seminar, providing background text for the national report, and also supporting it with data.
• Armenia will report on its national implementation of the SDGs by 2018 HLPF, and the Government of Armenia and the UNCT in the country have set up the world's first National SDG Innovation Lab to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To achieve this goal, the Lab will draw upon innovative methodologies and expertise available from across the world, including the UN entities´ own innovation facilities and tools. The UNIDO Office in Armenia is fully involved in all the industry-related activities planned for the upcoming review.
• The VNR process for Guinea Conakry was initiated in December 2017 under the joint leadership of the Ministry of International Cooperation and the UNRC.
UNIDO´s contribution will be framed within UNCT´s joint approach to the process with the technical leadership of the UNCT Inter-Agency Monitoring and Evaluation Group (GISE). Information is shared with those entities whose support to the process will be directly required in the implementation of the Action Plan approved in February 2018.
• The UNIDO Representative in Brazil participates, as part of the UNCT Brazil, at the National Commission for SDGs established by the Brazilian Government, which was the main instrument to prepare Brazilian VNR at 2017 HLPF.
• In Colombia UNIDO Country Office has been involved in the VNR process as part of an inter-agency effort to support the Government in reporting on five selected SDGs. UNIDO took the lead for SDGs 7- Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all- and 12 -Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
• The UNIDO Country Office in Indonesia provided, as part of the UNCT, technical support to developing Indonesia's VNR by taking part in the national consultations developed to that end (UNCT members submitted comments through an online consultation together with relevant stakeholders from the private sector or the civil society).
• Likewise, the UNIDO Office in Morocco contributed as part of the UNCT to the national report to 2016 HLPF. The national review was the outcome of SDGs´ consultations that were held in Rabat in May 2016 with the support of UNCT.
5. How has your organization cooperated with other UN system organizations to achieve coherence and synergies in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs? In this regard, has your organization launched or intend to launch any joint programmes or projects in collaboration with other UN entities? Are there any results or lessons you would like to highlight that might help improve the design and impact of such efforts? Has your organization participated in any of the following coordination systemwide mechanisms or any other relevant platform - CEB, UNDG, EC-ESA Plus, RCMs, UN-Energy, UN-Water, UN-Ocean, IAEG, IATT? Please specify which and indicate any suggestions you may have about improving collaborations within and across these mechanisms/platforms:
- UNIDO actively participates in all the SDGs-related substantial activities and exercises undertaken under the framework of the Chief Executives Board for Coordination and the United Nations Development Group, particularly by taking the initiative in those activities linked to the industry-related goals and targets included in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. UNIDO is also a member of the ECESA Plus group and, as an example, in April 20217 the Organization co-led the collection and consolidation of substantial inputs provided by United Nations' entities for a background note for 2017 HLPF on the monitoring and review of the implementation of SDG 9.
• As an observer of the Inter-Agency and Expert Group (IAEG) on SDG indicators, UNIDO supported the Group with methodological input, data and metadata for reclassification of a number of indicators. UNIDO attended all meetings of IAEG-SDG and made substantial contribution on SDG 9 related indicators. UNIDO will host the forthcoming 7th meeting of the IAEG-SDG in Vienna in April 2018.
• As member to UN Water UNIDO contributes to the World Water Development Report and participates in UN Water meetings
• As a member to UN Oceans UNIDO organized as side event in the Oceans Conference
• As part of our active participation in the UN Interagency Task Team (IATT) on STI for the SDGs and the operationalization of the Technology Facilitation Mechanism (TFM), UNIDO is contributing towards organization of a UN-wide capacity-building pilot course in technology for development: 'Innovation Policies for SDGs in the Arab region', a one-week event to take place in April 2018 in Beirut.
• UNIDO is very actively involved in the activities of UN-Energy and also in those developed under the framework of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group of Technical Experts on SDG 7. This advisory group facilitates briefings to the HLPF on the SDG review process and UNIDO is co-leading the related policy brief on Technology and Innovation and contributing to a diverse range of policy briefs.
- Since the adoption of the 2030 agenda the Organization has been engaged in 55 UNDAFs or equivalent frameworks covering the five regions where it operates e.g. Algeria, Armenia, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Cote d'Ivoire, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Gambia, Guinea, Indonesia, Lebanon, Montenegro, Morocco, Palestine, Peru, Serbia, Somalia, Sudan, Turkey, and Vietnam.
In parallel, the Organization enlarged its technical cooperation portfolio through the implementation of joint programs and expanded cooperation to SDGs relevant to its mandate on inclusive and sustainable industrial development and de facto strengthened strategic partnerships with relevant UN sister agencies such as UNDP, ILO, FAO, UNEP and UN Women which translated in the development of joint projects/programmes with a multiplier effect for demand for technical assistance.
40 joint Programmes are ongoing with other UN sister entities to address industry-related goals and targets present in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The examples indicated below illustrate the range of joint programs (JP) where UNIDO is involved:
• Cabo Verde : JP on Socio-Economic development with FAO, UNFPA, UNODC, and UNDP;
• Guinea: JP on youth employment with WFP and UNDP;
• Tanzania: JP for the improvement of value and supply chain development with ILO and FAO;
• Vietnam: JP on SME development and Agro food with UNDP, ILO, FAO.
• Protection of the Eco-system in India where UNIDO is leading a joint initiative programme in Mizoram, the North East province, together with FAO, IFAD, ILO and UNDP;
• Poverty Reduction through Economic Growth in South Africa where UNIDO was designated by UNCT to coordinate all UN agency's work in the KWAZULU-NATAL Province and lead "Poverty Reduction area".
6. How has your organization engaged with stakeholder groups, both in supporting implementation at the country, regional and global levels, and within your own organization? If yes, please provide main highlights, including any lessons learned:
- The UNIDO's flagship and innovative initiative, the Programme for Country Partnership (PCP), is a new programmatic framework which has been developed as an integrated approach to achieve inclusive and sustainable industrial development within the context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The PCP is a multi-stakeholder partnership that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, it is a unique mechanism that provides a new service package for UNIDO Member States. During the PCP initial stages, UNIDO identifies and reaches out to essential partners, with a focus on leveraging large-scale public and private finance.
7. Has your organization organized any conferences, forums or events designed to facilitate exchange of experience, peer and mutual learning? If yes, please provide a brief summary below and include lessons learned and gaps identified based on the outcomes of these events. Please also include any events you plan to organize in the coming years.
- On a regular basis UNIDO organizes and facilitates learning events, conferences and forums leading to exchange experiences, good practices and lessons learned, as an example:
i. In December 2016 UNIDO and the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs organized an expert group meeting to highlight ways in which national institutions can adapt to the interrelated and integrated SDGs. The outcome of this meeting was provided to the United Nations Economic and Social Council as input for the 2017 HLPF
8. Is there any other information you would like to share, including annual reports of your organization and any impact assessment or evaluation reports? If yes, please use the space below and attach the document(s). Please also use this space to provide any other information, comments or remarks you deem necessary:
- Since 2016 UNIDO country programmes evaluations' include a reference to the contribution and impact to the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs together with a reference to the UNIDO involvement in the Delivering as One (DaO) initiative in the respective country. For the time being the following evaluations has been prepared and shared in this regard:
• Independent UNIDO evaluation in Guatemala, Nicaragua and Dominican Republic https://www.unido.org/sites/default/files/2017-04/CE_LAC_ebook_0.pdf
• Independent UNIDO country evaluation in the United Republic of Tanzania https://www.unido.org/sites/default/files/2016-11/CE_URT-2016_ebook_0.pdf
• Independent UNIDO country evaluation in the Kingdom of Thailand https://www.unido.org/sites/default/files/2016-06/CE_Thailand_ebook_0.pdf
UNIDO's Annual Report 2016 includes a specific section on the UNIDO statistical work on SDGs under the framework of the United Nations Statistical Commission. The new format of the UNIDO Annual Report includes a very strong results-based approach, emphasizing the impacts and outcomes achieved by the Organization under its four core functions and particularly underlining the achievements towards 2030 challenge. https://www.unido.org/sites/default/files/2017-04/Annual_Report_2016_-_EN_0.pdf
9. In your view, what should a strategic plan for the UN system in support of the 2030 Agenda and SDGs look like? What key elements should it include and major challenges address in such a road map?
- For the UN development system to be able, partnerships, mandates, cooperation, technical expertise, resources it is essential to avoid overlapping and competition among UN entities for the implementation of technical activities at country level. In order to achieve this goal it will be key that the role of the respective the agencies, funds and programmes are respected according to their related expertise as defined by their mandates.
10. Please indicate one or two endeavor or initiatives you suggest that the UN system organizations could undertake together to support the implementation of the SDGs between now and 2030:
- Currently most entities belonging to the UN development ecosystem operate under the awareness that their respective mandate affects several SDGs and their related targets. However, one big limitation of these analyses is that the discussion on SDGs and their interlinkages has largely been taking place at a conceptual level and has been disconnected from (technical cooperation) projects that are implemented by Organizations like UNIDO. Undertaking joint analyses leading to bridging the gap between the conceptual discussions on SDG interlinkages and project implementation should be critical in order to successfully implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.