Sustainable Development Goals - what are these and how we monitor their achievement

The UN Country Team in Moldova has supported the Government and its citizens in the implementation of its development priorities and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.  

Through the Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development, the United Nations in Moldova supports the advancement of human rights and gender equality, strengthening of institutional and governance capacities, improvement of access to decent work and enhancement of local services and infrastructure, improvement of quality of education, health services, and social assistance, and promotion of climate change resilient development leaving no-one behind. 

The Sustainable Development Goals in Moldova 

In September 2015, the Republic of Moldova, alongside with 192 Member States of the United Nations committed to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.  

At its heart are the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are an urgent call for action by all countries - developed and developing - in a global partnership. They recognize that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand-in-hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and spur economic growth – all while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forests. 

Strategic documents of the country in line with the Sustainable Development Goals 

The National Development Strategy "European Moldova 2030" (NDS) developed by the Government describes the long-term strategic development vision of the country which indicates development directions synchronizing the priorities, objectives, indicators and targets of international commitments taken by the Republic of Moldova to the national context. The strategy identifies a series of key interventions - regulatory, institutional, budgetary, investment, and educational, which will have a direct positive impact on the well-being of citizens and sustainable and resilient development of the country in line with the Sustainable Development Goals. 

In 2023, the Government developed the Action Plan ”Building a European Moldova” that is the roadmap of the country to fulfil its aspiration of becoming a member state of the European Union.  The 20 actions included in the plan have the same overall objective as the Agenda 20230 for Sustainable Development of building a resilient, just, equitable, greener, and more sustainable future at home. 

Monitoring the level of Sustainable Development Goals achievement  

Sustainable Development Goals are being monitored and evaluated by the United Nations Country Team through the Country Results Report developed in coordination with the Government. The reports take stock of the progress made every year by the United Nations in the delivery of the Cooperation Framework for Sustainable Development, together with its many partners, in supporting the Republic of Moldova to achieve its national development priorities and the goals set in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

In 2020, The Government of the Republic of Moldova presented the country's first Voluntary National Review during the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. According to the report, the Republic of Moldova registered noteworthy progress since its commitment to implement the 2030 Agenda. Significant progress was registered in achieving SDG 1 (No poverty), 8 (Decent work and Economic Growth), 13 (Climate Action) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), while moderate results and less noticeable results were obtained in achieving SDG  2, 3, 5, 7, 9 ,11 and respectively SDG 4, 6, 10, 12, 15 and 16.  

As of 2022, the Government has committed to monitor and report annually on the level of achievement of the SDGs in the country which allows the state to make necessary interventions to adjust and/or accelerate the pace of SDGs implementation.