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Indonesia showcasing SDG strategies to the world
With only 11 years left to achieve the 2030 Agenda, the essential question for Indonesia is the following: Can the country — with a resilient growth and a largely natural resource-based economy — accelerate progress to meet the goals and make the needed transition to a sustainable development path for the whole archipelago?
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National Development Planning Minister Bambang Brodjonegoro (right) delivers a speech at a breakfast meeting entitled “Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Investment Opportunities in Indonesia: Infrastructure and Social Sectors” in New York, United States. The sustainable projects will cover infrastructure and human development. (Antara/-)
D
uring the 2019 High-Level Political Forum held at the United Nations in New York last month, Indonesia presented its second Voluntary National Review (VNR) on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Only seven countries have done so since the SDGs were adopted in 2015.
The review reaffirmed the government’s strong commitment to the SDGs and highlighted progress made as well as challenges faced for SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), SDG 10 (reduced inequalities), SDG 13 (climate action) and SDG 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions), in addition to SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals).
The report from Indonesia also made a special point of providing numerous concrete examples and stories of SDG work at the local level. It was gratifying that Indonesia’s presentation prompted the largest number of responses, with seven member states of the UN taking the floor to provide comments.
Indonesia’s reports bring the reduction of inequalities (SDG 10) to the fore. It also recognizes the integrated nature of the SDGs and the interlinkages that exist between the goals. Interventions to improve the quality of education or health must have a direct bearing on poverty reduction and reduction of inequalities, including the regional and gender ones.
The VNR preparation was an opportunity to reflect on the development course of Indonesia. It contributed to the formulation of the 2020-2024 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) as a SDGs-inspired plan strongly aligned with the SDG targets and indicators.
With only 11 years left to achieve the 2030 Agenda, the essential question for Indonesia is the following: Can the country — with a resilient growth and a largely natural resource-based economy — accelerate progress to meet the goals and make the needed transition to a sustainable development path for the whole archipelago?
For a country of around 265 million people and about 17,000 islands, vast geographic area and isolation represent a major hindrance to reduce inequalities and leave no one behind. Still, positive trends exist.
