Focus on partnerships as accelerators of sustainable and inclusive development
The third SDG Week has started in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), held every year with the aim of promoting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in BiH. EU accession and the 2030 Agenda are both closely aligned and progress towards the SDGs also means stronger progress towards full membership in the EU.
At the opening of the SDG Week, Designated Ambassador of Sweden to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ms. Helena Lagerlöf, pointed out that Sweden has been supporting BiH in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals for many years.
„The EU accession progress and Agenda 2030 are in many aspects complementary and mutually reinforcing. Sweden is committed to both and will continue to support Bosnia and Herzegovina in succeeding on both fronts.“
The Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Dr. Ingrid Macdonald, presented an overview of the 17 events that will take place during the SDG Week, covering financial investment opportunities, green transition, digital transformation, disability inclusion, women’s empowerment and more. She encouraged everyone to participate, to find concrete solutions to address the sustainable development crisis facing the planet and humanity, including Bosnia and Herzegovina.
„Last month’s SDG summit in New York confirmed that the environment and humanity are facing an unprecedented planetary crisis. The world is at a precipice with the climate crisis, we are seeing the hottest year on record. There is renewed conflict around the world, escalating inflation, and the lingering effects of the COVID pandemic are negatively impacting those who have the least.”
The event that opened the SDG Week in BiH was „SDG localization in Bosnia and Herzegovina – Turning Great Ideas into Action”, where numerous initiatives and strategies for achieving sustainable development goals at the local level were presented.
The SDG Week in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) is an annual, nationally owned meeting, consultation, and discussion platform that promotes the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the country. The SDG Week is among the main instruments in BIH to raise public awareness and engage all societal stakeholders in conversations about success stories, innovative approaches, and lessons learned that contribute to the impactful implementation of the Agenda 2030 in BiH. The SDG Week in BiH is supported by the “Translating the SDGs Framework in BiH into Sustainable and Inclusive Growth (SDG2BiH)”, an initiative funded by Sweden, and implemented by UNDP in partnership with UNICEF and UN Women, under the United Nations’ overall support extended to the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in coordination with the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office in BiH.
