This year marks the midpoint of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and serious concerns have been highlighted at the UN High Level Political Forum (HLPF), that the world is falling short of meeting most of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs, Hon. Lenora Qereqeretabua, presented Fiji’s 2nd Voluntary National Review (VNR) Report at the UN High Level Political Forum (HLPF) in New York, last month, highlighting Fiji’s implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the 17 SDGs.
The Assistant Minister was supported by Senior Officials from the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Suva, and through the Permanent Mission of Fiji to the UN, in New York.
In line with the international relations mandate, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs plays a vital role, in advocating at the global stage, Fiji’s progress, challenges and opportunities to engage with development partners and likeminded countries to support Fiji’s SDG implementation, while the Ministry of Finance, looks after SDG implementation on the ground.
The VNR is the follow-up and review mechanism of the 2030 Agenda. Through this mechanism, the VNR encourages member states to conduct regular and inclusive reviews of progress at the national and sub-national levels, which are country-led and country-driven and inclusive of all stakeholders. These national reviews serve as a basis for the regular reviews by the HLPF.
At the HLPF, countries share experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, whilst also strengthening policies and institutions of governments, to mobilize multi-stakeholder support and partnerships for the implementation of the SDGs.
Fiji’s VNR presentation highlighted significant progress on some SDG indicators based on the availability of relevant Data, having 128 indicators supported and measured by sufficient data compared to the Pacific average of 93.
Discussions on Fiji’s VNR Report were undertaken with Australia, Ireland, Solomon Islands, and Nepal. The Fiji’s Women’s Rights Movement (FWRM) representing the Major Group of Stakeholders (MGoS) also contributed to panel discussions, on Fiji’s VNR session.
Fiji was one of 39 VNR presenters at the HLPF alongside other countries namely, Bahrain, Barbados, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brunei Darussalam, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Canada, Central African Republic, Comoros, Chile, Croatia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, European Union, France, Guyana, Iceland, Ireland, Kuwait, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Maldives, Mongolia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Slovakia, St Kitts & Nevis, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, United Republic of Tanzania , Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Zambia.
This is Fiji’s 2nd VNR Report since 2019. It was compiled through intensive State-led consultations with both State and Non-State Actors and all stakeholders, ensuring that all views were adequately captured in the Report.
Key takeaways from Fiji’s VNR Presentation are as follows:
The VNR Report process underscores the vital role of investing in data for accelerating SDG progress. There is an urgent need for data capacity building as countries face multiple crises on health, food, energy and climate, and need better data to support policymaking.
The role of national statistical offices (NSOs) in owning national coordination or stewardship role within their national statistical systems is very important in this regard. Fiji’s SDG implementation is de-centralized amongst specialist Government Ministries, CSO, NGOs, Statutory Authorities, and Local Authorities and communities. It reflects the relevance of the 2030 Agenda, at all levels of society and it also underscores the need for a coherent, structured and consistent approach, towards Fiji’s progress on the 2030 Agenda.
The outcomes of the HLPF and the VNR presentations will be tabled to the UN SDG Summit that will convene in September, on the margins of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly.
