Mainstreaming SDGs in development agenda

On December 04, 2014, the UN General Assembly accepted the Secretary-General's synthesis report titled The Road to Dignity By 2030. The report stated that the agenda for the post-2015 SDG (Sustainable Development Goal) process would be based on the OWG (Open Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals) proposals. Transforming our World: The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the final version of the draft post-2015 development agenda, includes 17 goals with 169 proposed targets and 304 proposed indicators to show compliance with the OWG proposals. The goals are as follows:

FINANCING FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: The Rio+20 conference recognised the need for significant mobilisation of resources from a variety of sources and the effective use of financing in order to give strong support to developing countries in their efforts to promote sustainable development. Therefore, an Intergovernmental Committee of Experts on Sustainable Development Financing comprising 30 experts, nominated by regional groups with equitable geographical representation, was formed on June 21 2013. The committee highlighted that public finance and aid would be central to support the implementation of the SDGs.
But it insisted that money generated from the private sector through tax reforms and crackdown on illicit financial flows and corruption, was also vital.
THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON FINANCING FOR DEVELOPMENT: The Third International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD3), held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, from July 13-16, 2015,  concluded with the adoption of the Outcome Document of the Conference titled Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA). In support of the AAAA, a number of significant partnerships were launched during FfD3 (3rd International Conference on Financing for Development), including the Addis Tax Initiative, which will support strengthening of domestic tax systems, the Global Financing Facility in Support of Every Woman Every Child, which brings together countries, donors and the private sector; and the Commission on Financing Global Education.
The AAAA comprises a number of concrete deliverables such as a technology facilitation mechanism (TFM), which will be officially launched at the post-2015 Summit in September 2015, a global infrastructure forum to improve alignment and coordination among established and new infrastructure initiatives, multilateral and national development banks, UN agencies, and national institutions, development partners and the private sector, an Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Forum on Financing for Development (FfD) follow-up that will discuss the follow-up and review of the FfD outcomes and the means of implementation (MOI) of the post-2015 development agenda and an inter-agency Task Force convened by the UN Secretary-General to report annually on progress in implementing the FfD outcomes and the post-2015 MOI.
The AAAA also decides to work to further enhance the resources of the UN Committee of Experts on International Cooperation in Tax Matters by increasing its meetings to two four-day sessions per year. It indicates that Committee members shall be nominated by governments, act in their expert capacity, represent different tax systems, and be appointed by the UN Secretary-General, in consultation with UN member-states. In addition, based on the AAAA, official development assistance (ODA) providers reaffirm their respective commitments, including the commitment by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of ODA/Gross National Income (GNI), and 0.15 to 0.20 per cent of ODA/GNI to least developed countries (LDCs). The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has estimated that the Asia and Pacific region will require at least $ 1.0 trillion annually to finance the targets of the SDGs (2015-2030) while the official development assistance (ODA) to the region is still below only $30 billion.
BANGLADESH PROPOSAL TO UN: The main objective of the Post-2015 consultation process in Bangladesh, led by the General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission, was to broaden debates and ensure people's active participation in the discussions. The country consultations, throughout 2013, were designed to stimulate an inclusive debate on formulation of a Post-2015 Development agenda by providing an analytical base, inputs and ideas that:
(a) build a shared global vision,
(b) amplify the voices of the poor and other marginalised group, and
(c) influence the inter-governmental processes.
In Bangladesh, the first round of post-2015 national consultations provided opportunities for the country to reflect and draw upon its experiences with the MDG (Millennium Development Goals) framework, bolster its say in shaping new global development goals and to ensure that the goals set are relevant to Bangladesh's development context. To this end, the government of Bangladesh (GoB) committed to lead the national consultative process in an inclusive and participatory manner.
The national proposal (SDGs 2015-2030) of Bangladesh contains 11 goals, 58 targets and 241 indicators. The goals set are:
Goal 1: Unleash human potentials for sustainable development,
Goal 2: Eradicate poverty and reduce inequality,
Goal 3: Ensure sustainable food security and nutrition for all,
Goal 4: Universal access to health and family planning services,
Goal 5: Achieve gender equality,
Goal 6: Ensure quality education and skills for all,
Goal 7: Increase employment opportunities and ensure workers' rights,
Goal 8:  Ensure good governance,
Goal 9: Promote sustainable production and consumption,
Goal 10: Ensure environmental sustainability and disaster management, and
Goal 11: Strengthen international cooperation and partnership for sustainable development
ADDRESSING SDGS IN NATIONAL PLAN: Bangladesh has made commendable progress in achieving the targets of the MDGs. Such achievements are the reflection of time-befitting planning of the government. Taking the UN Millennium Declaration into consideration, Bangladesh mainstreamed the goals in its development agenda through the ongoing Sixth Five Year Plan (6th FYP). As the terminal year of MDGs (Millennium Development Goals) and 6th FYP coincides, implementing one ultimately paves the way for executing the other.
Bangladesh is now in the process of formulating its Seventh Five Year Plan (7th FYP) for the period of 2016-2020. While formulating the plan document, the proposed goals by OWG were taken into consideration so that the probable goals of the SDGs can be reflected in the national plan. The goals of SDGs were also given emphasis while setting the priority areas of the 7th FYP.
As the goals, targets and indicators of the SDGs are well taken care of in the formulation process of the 7th FYP of Bangladesh, the country will apparently be an 'early starter' in the implementation process of the SDGs.
Professor Shamsul Alam is Member (Senior Secretary), General Economics Division (GED), Bangladesh Planning Commission. Dr. Alam led the preparation of the Perspective Plan of Bangladesh 2010-2021, Sixth Five-Year Plan of Bangladesh 2011-2015, National Sustainable Development Strategy 2010-2021, National Social Security Strategy of Bangladesh (2015) and now is leading the preparation of the Seventh Five Year Plan of Bangladesh, 2016-2020 which is at the final stage.
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