Building a Sustainable Future: Successful Joint Steering Committee Meeting Propels SDG Progress

Pristina, 5 July 2023 - The United Nations Kosovo Team (UNKT) and the government of Kosovo convened the Third Joint Steering Committee (JSC) meeting to discuss the implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework 2021-2025, more specifically 2022 key achievements and 2023 priorities. It followed Discussion and reflections on 2022 results and 2023 priorities with focus on recent developments.

The meeting marked an important milestone in strengthening the collaboration between the government and the UNKT to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the vision outlined in the National Development Plan 2030, which at this stage aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals at the level of 40%.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti opened the meeting by underscoring the significance of the Joint Steering Committee in reviewing the progress of government and UN cooperation and ensuring the alignment of UN initiatives with the government's agenda. He commended the UNKT for their strong presence in Kosovo and welcomed the new members, including the UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) and the recently appointed UNDP Resident Representative. The Prime Minister expressed his appreciation for the UNKT's efforts in addressing social and economic inequalities, advancing human rights, fostering a multiethnic society, promoting multilingualism, enhancing interethnic harmony, and improving access to employment, education, healthcare, and other essential services. He also requested the UNKT's cooperation in several key areas, including the development of an SDG dashboard, the establishment of an SDG Accelerator Fund, investment in human capital to curb youth emigration, advancing the housing and population census, supporting the school-to-work transition, and advancing Kosovo's digital agenda.

In response, UN Development Coordinator Arnhild Spence acknowledged the importance of protecting development gains in Kosovo, particularly in the areas of health, education, clean energy, sustainable cities, and climate change. She stressed the need for urgent action to address the critical gaps in these areas and emphasized the importance of allocating an additional 1% of GDP to primary healthcare, which would directly contribute to SDG 3 targets. Additionally, she highlighted the need for digitalization, census initiatives, and capacity strengthening to address the persistent lack of data on SDGs. The Development Coordinator encouraged Prime Minister Kurti to articulate commitments in the six key areas identified by the UN as transformative SDG accelerators. She reiterated the UNKT's readiness to support the government in delivering on these commitments and emphasized the need for immediate implementation of social assistance scheme reform to address poverty effectively.

During the meeting, the UNKT representatives, chairing the five priority areas of the Cooperation Framework, shared their vision for 2023. They emphasized the importance of advancing the digital agenda, promoting human rights and gender equality, supporting justice and education, and developing institutional policies and strategies. They also highlighted the significance of data security, responsible budgeting, multilingualism, social cohesion, and youth empowerment as key areas of focus. The newest member of the UNKT, the UN Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), expressed its commitment to supporting Kosovo in various areas, including the smooth conduct of the census and work related to the environment, resource management, energy, transport trade connectivity, statistics, forestry, and housing.

Ministers from various government departments outlined their respective areas of collaboration and expressed their appreciation for the UNKT's support and expertise. They emphasized the importance of economic development, the green transition, gender equality, and the inclusion of SDG objectives in institutional strategies and policies for effective implementation and innovation.

The Joint Steering Committee concluded by endorsing the UN Kosovo Team Results Report 2022 and the proposed priorities for 2023. The meeting also resulted in a comprehensive action matrix, which will serve as the basis for the future implementation plan.

The Third Joint Steering Committee meeting demonstrated the commitment of both the UNKT and the Kosovo institution to advancing sustainable development and achieving the SDGs. By working together, they aim to create a more inclusive, prosperous, and sustainable future for all people in Kosovo, leaving no one behind.