03.11.2017 Financing for development and the SDGs

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The 2018 Financing for Development (FfD) process for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has begun. Last week the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) on Financing for Development held a meeting to discuss its report for 2018, which in part influences the FfD Forum outcome document and thus is an important document to influence.

As background, the IATF on Financing for Development was convened by the UN Secretary-General to follow up on the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and is comprised of over 50 United Nations agencies, programs and offices, regional economic commissions and other relevant international institutions, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The IATF reports annually on progress in implementing the Addis Agenda and other FfD outcomes and the means of implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.

Last week’s dialogue was for Member States, Agencies, and civil society on the progress of the 2018 report thus far. Member States that made statements included: Belgium, Jamaica, the EU, Canada, China, Russia, and France. As the only civil society presenter, we advocated for the inclusion and participation of civil society and of persons with disabilities in the upcoming report. The response was that:

  • For the next briefing, there will be a more accessible manner to include people calling in remotely.
  • There will be an effort to have more consultations with opportunities for civil society to input into the draft report.
  • Stakeholders will be invited to participate in the FfD Forum.

Key points:

  • The 2018 IATF report will be structured as a three-prong report with focus on (1) global context, (2) thematic context, and (3) the seven Addis Agenda chapters.
  • The report will be linked to the SDGs of focus for 2018 High-level Political Forum (water, energy, sustainable cities, sustainable consumption, and bio-systems).
  • Another focus will be on the impact of private finance, blended finance, and financial inclusion.
  • Threads that will link across chapters include:
    • Gender
    • Technology (in terms of employment, trade, domestic resource mobilization, and taxes)
    • Impact on the most vulnerable countries (risk of natural disasters and increasing debt risk)

Next Steps

  • There will be additional dialogues on the IATF report.
  • There will be a possible retreat early next year for in-depth discussions on early findings of the report.
  • By end of February 2018, the first draft of the report will be posted online.
  • There will be continued dialogue with all relevant stakeholders.

We will continue to advocate for the inclusion of persons with disabilities in this important process. Key entry points include technology and disaster risk reduction, in which CBM can provide particular expertise. Stay tuned for updates!

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