Moldova has committed to achieving 106 targets for a better life by 2030

The Agenda aims to accelerate the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals focusing, first of all, on eradicating poverty by 2030 and ensuring global sustainable development. To be significant, feasible and efficient, the Agenda has been adapted to the local context, following consultations.

The Moldovan State Chancellery, with the support of the United Nations, conducted consultations with over 200 persons and analyzed more than 60 comments. The outcomes of this process were presented on 4 July 2017.

Lilia Palii, General Secretary of the Government reiterated her gratitude to the United Nations for the support to the process of nationalization of the SDGs and for the commitment to support the Government's efforts in developing the new framework for strategic planning - Moldova 2030: “The global development agenda may become, in the Republic of Moldova, a successful one only if, at this time, the country will make a correct prioritization of the targets to be achieved, by correlating them with the reforms agenda and the expectations of society. It is important to analyze the results obtained during its implementation, to adjust our priorities and targets at national level, considering as reference the development objectives agreed at international level.”

Following these consultations with relevant actors, it was recommended to integrate 106 targets of the 2030 Agenda into national policy documents. The authorities will further adjust sector strategies and budgetary programmes to implement the proposed commitments.

The 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda is very complex and includes 17 Sustainable Development Goals (Global Goals) that cover all key development areas: economic, social, environment, governance, and human rights:

• Economic – Goals: 8) Decent work and economic growth, 9) Industry, innovation and infrastructure, 11) Sustainable cities and communities, and 12) Responsible consumption and production;
• Social – Goals: 1) No poverty, 2) Zero hunger, 3) Good health and well-being, and 4) Quality education
• Environment – Goals: 6) Clean water and sanitation, 7) Affordable and clean energy, 13) Climate action, 14) Life below water, and 15) Life on land;
• Governance and human rights – Goals: 5) Gender equality, 10) Reduced inequalities, 16) Peace, justice and strong institutions, and 17) Partnerships for the goals.

The nationalization report states that the national policy agenda is only partly aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and one third of the targets are not reflected in any national policy papers. Only 11% of the global targets are aligned with national policy documents and hence, do not require further adjustments.  

At the same time, most targets (57%) are currently only partially aligned with key policy documents of the Republic of Moldova, with only some components of these targets found in these documents. Thus, the relevant national strategies have to be adjusted to reflect better the spirit and details of the SDGs targets.

Most of the already aligned targets are in environment sector, with the least aligned ones in governance and human rights sectors.

The successful implementation of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals depends on the feasibility of the strategic planning framework. The National Sustainable Development Strategy Moldova 2030 needs to include a long-term vision with regard to the priority targets of the global Agenda 2030.

The Moldova 2030 Strategy will be developed by the State Chancellery by December 2017, with the support of the UN in Moldova and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation.

“Today we will launch yet another partnership initiative of strategic importance for the future of Moldova, which will lay the groundwork for transforming the country into a modern and prosperous state where no one is left behind. The UN development system, Swiss Development Cooperation and the State Chancellery in close consultation with all relevant stakeholders and partners will commence the elaboration of National Development Strategy Moldova 2030. This will be a holistic and comprehensive agenda, which will be fully aligned with peoples’ aspirations, national priorities and country’s regional and global commitments”, declared Dafina Gercheva, UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Moldova.

At the same time, the nationalization report recommends the simplification of sector planning documents of line ministries, which should focus on achieving the targets of the national sustainable development agenda. In addition, it is necessary to fully connect the medium-term expenditure framework to sector planning documents to ensure that the achievement of the targets is financially sustainable.

To monitor and evaluate the achievement of the 106 targets, 226 indicators were defined and developed by adjusting global indicators and complementing them with indicators relevant to the country’s context.

The nationalization process of Global Goal indicators should follow a roadmap describing actions for continuous production of existing indicators, and sources necessary to achieve partly or fully missing indicators.

The report on the 2030 Agenda nationalization was developed by the Analytical Centre Expert-Group within the UNDP project “Nationalization of the Sustainable Development Agenda to the context of the Republic of Moldova,” with the support of the UN Country Team, including UNFPA, UNICEF, ILO and UN Women.