The Government of Kazakhstan, United Nations, Asian Development Bank and World Bank meet to discuss SDGs monitoring and reporting

Borovoye, Kazakhstan – Representatives from the Government of Kazakhstan, the United Nations (UN), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and World Bank (WB) met to discuss and further advance the monitoring and reporting of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Kazakhstan.  

The large-scale event gathered more than 120 delegates from Government, UN agencies, WB, ADB, research institutions and civil society organizations. The main aim was to further contextualize priority indicators for monitoring of the SDGs in Kazakhstan and kick-start the discussion on Voluntary National Review (VNR) preparation on SDGs implementation, which will be presented in July 2019 at the UN’s High Level Political Forum. The meeting was also attended by international statisticians and SDGs specialists providing global and country-specific experience in the SDGs nationalization process, as well as VNR preparation and reporting based on examples of OECD and CIS countries. Discussion on gender and vulnerable population groups as cross-cutting issues was also part of the discussion.

«Kazakhstan supported the Sustainable Development Goals and the priorities set by the Global Agenda fully coincide with the ones of Kazakhstan, outlined in key strategic and policy documents. Also, some of them, for instance, Concept of Family and Gender Policy and Strategic Development Plan till 2025, are endorsed through a lens of SDGs and include corresponding indicators. In this way, Kazakhstan’s development objectives are very much in line with the SDGs, which may serve as a credible political framework for attaining them,”   stated Deputy Chairperson of the Committee on Statistics of the Ministry of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan Mr. Kairat Orunkhanov.

In August this year the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan issued a Resolution announcing the establishment of a nationally led and a nationally owned SDGs coordination architecture. This includes a Coordination Council under the chairpersonship of the Deputy Prime Minister, and five inter-sectoral working groups headed by national coordinators corresponding to 5 P’s of the Sustainable Development agenda (People, Planet, Prosperity, Peace, and Partnership).

“Many of the SDGs are already incorporated in Government strategic and political documents however there is a need to further strengthen this process and to ensure that all stakeholders work together on achieving the SDGs, which is a prerequisite to Kazakhstan’s development aspiration, that is to achieve OECD standards,” said the UN Resident Coordinator in Kazakhstan Mr. Norimasa Shimomura.

“ADB is very committed to assist Kazakhstan accomplish its development strategy under the new SDG architecture through nationalization, localization, as well as regional collaboration of the SDG targets. We are keen to work with the Government and other development partners in the organization of the new partnership for sustainable development forum and filling existing gaps through knowledge and investment projects,” stated ADB Country Director for Kazakhstan Mr. Giovanni Capannelli.  

­­World leaders adopted the 17 Sustainable Development Goals in September 2015 as a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The Goals address the global challenges we face, including those related to poverty, inequality, women’s empowerment, inclusiveness for all, education, health, climate, environmental degradation, prosperity, and peace and justice.