Strengthening Institutional Frameworks for Sustainable Development

1. Strengthening Institutional Frameworks for Sustainable Development Pre-event on Institutional Frameworks for Sustainable Development in Africa: Integrating the three Pillars of Sustainable Development Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 17 June 2012 Josue Dione, Director, Food Security and Sustainable Development Division United Nations Economic Commission for Africa

2. Outline • Background • Objectives of the Africa Report • Main Findings • Policy Recommendations • Key Questions for Discussion

3. 1. Background • Institutional Framework for Sustainable Development (IFSD) is one of two themes of Rio+20 • ECA commissioned the Africa Report on Institutional and Strategic Frameworks for Sustainable Development (ISFSD) as an integral part of the Africa Regional Preparatory Process for Rio+20 • The report served as one of the background documents for the Africa Regional Preparatory Conference for Rio+20 and informed the Africa Consensus Statement to Rio+20

4. 2. Objective of the Report • The report is intended to guide the establishment/strengthening and operationalization of institutions, and the development and implementation of policies and strategies on sustainable development at the regional, subregional and national levels • The report was prepared through consultations with regional, subregional and UN organizations; and enriched with extensive desk review and comments provided by members States and other stakeholders at the Africa regional Preparatory Conference for Rio+20

5. 3. Key Findings/1 • The linkage between good governance and sustainable development is well recognized and is increasingly being demonstrated • Institutional reforms have been undertaken and, to a certain extent, sustainable development strategies are being developed and implemented • Appreciable progress has been made towards strengthening institutional and programmatic linkages • At the regional level, NEPAD continues to provide a framework for sustainable development • Regional and subregional institutions such as AU organs, ECA, RECs play a significant role in promoting effective institutional and strategic frameworks for sustainable development

6. Key Findings/2 • The main challenge is achieving a balanced integration of the three pillars in planning, budgeting and implementation of plans and programmes, due to the lack of coordination and synergy among relevant institutions • The relatively weak involvement of planning and finance ministries in sustainable development issues is a major challenge to achieving a balanced integration of the three pillars of sustainable development • Another major challenge is inadequate human, institutional and financial resources at all levels

7. 4. Policy Recommendations /1 Global level: • Effective linkages among global, regional, subregional and national institutions and processes should be ensured in order to advance sustainable development, based on the principle of subsidiarity • International environmental governance should be strengthened within the context of the institutional framework for sustainable development, in order to promote a balanced integration of the economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainable development Regional Levels • Rio+20 should result in a strengthened governance framework that leverages the comparative advantages of existing regional and subregional institutions to ensure effective vertical and horizontal linkages

8. Policy Recommendations/2 Regional Level Cont… • Regional and subregional institutions should be strengthened and supported to foster and facilitate institutional coherence and harmonization of development strategies, plans and programmes among member States • ECA should enhance its work in promoting a balanced integration of the three pillars of sustainable development in the region, and support other regional and subregional institutions in developing and applying sustainable development monitoring and evaluation frameworks • There is the need for a clear and actionable indicator framework for sustainable development, to enhance understanding and guide integration modalities

9. Policy Recommendations/3 National Level • Countries should consider reviving and further strengthening National Councils for Sustainable Development (NCSDs) to address the challenge of integrating economic, social and environmental goals, by engaging a broader range of ministries and stakeholders • Rio+20 should explore the possibility of reactivating and reinvigorating NCSDs which should be adequately capacitated to play a more active role • Rio+20 should decisively address the shortcoming of the poor involvement of the ministries of finance, economic affairs and planning and the ministries for social affairs in sustainable development

10. 5. Some Key Questions for Discussion • What institutional frameworks are needed at regional, sub-regional, national and local levels to achieve a balanced integration and enhance implementation? • How could linkages between the institutions at regional, subregional and national levels be strengthened to enhance coordination, synergy and policy coherence to achieve the balanced integration of the three pillars of sustainable development? • What kind of institutional architecture for the integration of the three pillars at the global level would best support the institutional framework for sustainable development at regional, subregional, national and local levels? • What further guidance and recommendations can you make on further consultations to foster the strengthening and effective functioning of institutions for sustainable development in Africa?

11. Thank you