Implementing the 2030 Agenda by enhancing complementarities and synergies
between the Agenda and the Belt and Road Initiative:
a comprehensive strategic framework project proposal addressing emerging priority areas and needs
in developing countries, including those participating in the Belt and Road Initiative
The proposal seeks to enhance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda by tapping into the complementarities and synergies between the Agenda and BRI and by bringing together existing projects and projects in the pipeline under the Sub-Fund that address emerging priorities areas and challenges in developing countries participating in BRI.
1. Analysis of BRI promoting the 2030 Agenda and SDGs. Review and mapping of UN partnership with BRI by identifying, collecting and evaluating success stories, best practices and lessons learned on how BRI contribute to the 2030 Agenda and SDGs; Publication of a report on synergies and complementarities between BRI and the 2030 Agenda, featuring inputs and contributions from across the UN system.
2. Strengthening the projects’ implementation under the above-mentioned strategic framework, including two sub-projects selected in 2019: (i) Strengthening the capacity of governments and youth employment stakeholders in ECA in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes promoting decent jobs for youth; (ii) The establishment and maintenance of a network of selected countries situated along the Silk Road Economic Belt to prevent and combat corruption, and to foster sustainable development.
Synopsis
The project has realized impactful and sustainable achievements that align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, despite facing considerable challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the pandemic led to delays and necessitated adjustments in implementation, the project successfully adapted to these changes and led to the highlighted achievements outlined as follows in accordance with SDG targets as substantiated by thematic components and type of beneficiaries.
On 14 September 2022, the project marked a significant achievement by successfully launching the Partnering for a Brighter Shared Future: Progress Report on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Support of the United Nations 2030 Agenda during the 77th session of the UNGA. This bilingual report, developed in collaboration with various UN entities and Member States, was unveiled at an impactful event co-hosted by the USG of DESA and the Permanent Representative of China, with extensive participation from Permanent Representatives of BRI countries and UN representatives. The report offers a comprehensive analysis of how the BRI aligns with and supports the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals, synthesizing data and experiences from bilateral, trilateral, and multilateral BRI cooperation. It showcases the BRI's role in bridging implementation gaps across various SDGs, including policy coordination and infrastructure connectivity. Additionally, the report highlights the role of BRI in accelerating the 2030 Agenda implementation, offering valuable data, insights, and case studies. The drafting process involved extensive consultations and peer reviews with over 20 UN agencies and 26 Member States, reflecting a collective and inclusive approach despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The report's widespread acceptance and utility as a reference for sustainable development practices underscore its success as a key project achievement.
As part of Sub-Project 1, in a significant stride towards bolstering youth employment in Nigeria, UNDESA's Division of Inclusive Social Policy (DISD) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) jointly advanced the Nigerian Youth Employment Action Plan (NIYEAP) 2021-2024. Launched in September 2021 with a wide array of stakeholders, the project focused on effective coordination, implementation, and monitoring of NIYEAP. Pivotal initiatives included a comprehensive media campaign and a youth survey, which collectively engaged over 212,499 young Nigerians, and the organization of six youth labs across Nigeria's geopolitical zones, reaching approximately 800 participants. These efforts culminated in the informed development of the NIYEAP, reflecting the priorities and aspirations of Nigerian youth. Additionally, the "Youth Employment Inventory" mapped key employment programs, informing NIYEAP's intervention strategies. The NIYEAP's implementation roadmap and Monitoring & Evaluation plan, finalized in December 2021, were strengthened through the Action Committee meetings and the ILO’s targeted training sessions for 49 stakeholders, enhancing participatory results-measurement capacities. Furthermore, a South-South cooperation workshop in Abuja facilitated international exchange on youth employment policies, drawing insights from various sub-Saharan African countries. This multifaceted approach significantly enhanced policy capacities for inclusive, participatory, and gender-responsive youth employment in Nigeria, addressing the urgent need for effective youth engagement in the labour market.
As part of Sub-Project 2, a major achievement of the project involved fostering sustainable development by supporting the implementation of the UN Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) in countries along the Silk Road Economic Belt. This was spearheaded by the successful launch of the Network of Anti-Corruption Practitioners during the 1st Plenary Meeting organized by the UNODC in December 2021. The Network, which includes 16 countries from the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), established a communication platform and a directory of focal points to facilitate collaboration and sharing of best practices. The UNODC developed two key anti-corruption knowledge products for the public and private sectors, offering guidelines on curbing corruption in international investment projects. Furthermore, the establishment of the Anti-corruption Knowledge-Sharing Database represented a significant step in systematically collecting resources to prevent and detect corruption in international cooperation projects. The project also included successful anti-corruption training sessions and regional workshops in Samarkand and Belgrade, drawing over 230 practitioners and 100 policymakers. These initiatives have led to tangible policy impacts, with several countries, including Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kyrgyzstan, and Uzbekistan, incorporating anti-corruption measures into their policy documents and guidelines for international investment projects.
Launching of “Partnering for a Brighter Shared Future: Progress Report on the Belt and Road Initiative in Support of the United Nations 2030 Agenda”
On 14 September 2022, during the 77th Session of the General Assembly, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations Secretariat, jointly with the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, launched the “Partnering for a Brighter Shared Future: Progress Report on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Support of the United Nations 2030 Agenda” in the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
This progress report is the output of a project under the United Nations 探花精选 and Development Trust Fund. It seeks to contribute to the analysis of synergies and complementarities between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The launching of the Progress Report is jointly hosted by Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General of DESA, together with H.E. Amb. Mr. Zhang Jun, the Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations. Permanent Representatives from dozens of BRI participating countries and representatives of UN entities participated in the launching event.
The progress report presents data and country-level experiences under bilateral, trilateral and multilateral BRI cooperation, including through cases studies and project outputs. It further identifies the inherent synergies of the BRI with the 2030 Agenda, and its projects and activities that have been bridging gaps across a number of implementation efforts of SDGs, including policy coordination, trade, financing, and infrastructure connectivity, among others.
The report also provides an overview of how various UN entities leverage BRI for accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, in responding to the call of the Secretary-General and the requests of Member States to seize opportunities by the BRI, and to provide capacity-building support to BRI partner countries, disseminating knowledge and expertise. The report finds that these activities have supported Member States integrate the Belt and Road projects in their own economies and societies in a harmoniously and sustainable way, and have brought about preliminary yet valuable data, first-hand insights and case study evidence to inform the design and implementation for the BRI in ways that support the SDGs in practice.
The report entails how BRI has evolved with renewed efforts to strive for open, green, clean and inclusive growth that follows a high-standard, people-centred and sustainable approach. It recommends enabling information exchange between the United Nations and the BRI, so as to fully harvest the tangible benefits generated by the BRI to support the implementation of the SDGs.
