CENN, together with the SDG Secretariat, hosted the first interagency meeting of the year to support SDGs implementation in Georgia
The meeting was attended by 12 organizations and governmental agencies that are chairing and co-chairing the 4 Thematic Working Groups (TWG) of the SDG Council of Georgia.
“The SDG Council with its four thematic working groups is the main structure that should ensure the support to fulfil country’s commitment, meaning the country’s aspiration to achieve the sustainable development goals. The Covid pandemic, as in all areas, has harmed the effectiveness of working groups. That is why, after a long break, this meeting is a crucial step to resume intensive work and to conduct the planned activities within the project correctly and consistently. At the meeting, we discussed various important issues that will support SDG implementation in the country and the involvement of multiple stakeholders in the process, “- Natia Tsikaradze, Head of the SDG Secretariat.
The participants got acquainted with the goals and activities of CENN’s new project – “Continued Nationalisation of SDGs via Promoting Localisation and Multi-stakeholder Engagement in Georgia”. They expressed readiness for active participation and planned future joint steps to develop action plans for Working Groups and continue nationalising SDGs.
Representatives of state agencies – the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia, the Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the Ministry of Internally Displaced Persons from the Occupied Territories, Labor, Health and Social Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have participated in the meeting. The international and local non-governmental organizations were presented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (UNFAO), the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Georgia, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH country office, as well as non-governmental organisations – the Coalition – Education for All (EFA), Georgian Young Lawyers Association (GYLA) and the Economic Policy Research Center (EPRC). SDG Secretariat and CENN led the meeting.
The meeting was held with the support of the CENN’s project – “Continued Nationalisation of SDGs in Georgia”, which aims to jumpstart SDG implementation, continue nationalisation of new targets and commence localisation of SDGs in Georgia. By strengthening the capacity of the SDG Council’s Secretariat and Thematic Working Groups, the project supports the development of institutions that will ensure the long-term sustainability of the steps taken by the country towards the Sustainable Development Goals; thus, it contributes to the country’s sustainable development. The program is financed by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).