Nepal to present NVR report on SDGs to UN body by July

Nepal will be presenting a report on its progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, the United Nations. The report to be prepared through the voluntary national review (VNR) on SDGs is to be presented by July.

The National Planning Commissions today organized a workshop on the Voluntary National Review of SDGs in Kathmandu today, gathering valuable submissions from various stakeholders.

Prior to this, Nepal conducted the first VNR on SDG in 2017 followed by the second in 2020.  According to the NC, the third VNR will be concluded by the next six months.

In today's workshop, the NPC Vice -Chair Dr Min Bahadur Shrestha said the event aimed to assess Nepal's efforts towards the sustainable development goals, learn from successful practices in other countries, and gather submissions from various sectors to promote coordination and cooperation with diverse agencies.

According to him, Nepal is fully committed to achieving the sustainable development goals and efforts towards this end are underway from the federal, provincial and local governments.  There has already been the localization of SDGs in Nepal and the budget has accorded priorities to them. Effective monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are in place for projects and plans related to the SDGs.

The 16th five-year periodic plan that will be coming into effect from the fiscal year 2081-82 BS (2024-24) has prioritized the endeavors to graduate Nepal from the category of the least developed country and to accomplish the SDGs, he added.

The Sustainable Development Implementation and Monitoring Committee under the coordination of the Vice-Chairperson of the National Planning Commission has been working to prepare a third voluntary third national voluntary review related to sustainable development.

The Economic Management Division of the Commission is working as the secretariat. Shrestha shared that Nepal would present this report in the meeting of a high-level political forum under the United Nations in July.

Lauding the activities carried out by Nepal for achieving sustainable development goals, UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal, Hanaa Singer-Hamdy pointed out the need of making efforts for further progress-oriented results.

"Nepal's progress in achieving sustainable development goals is admirable. Compared to other countries in the world, the progress of Nepal is better. But it is necessary for us to make further efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals within the stipulated time", she added.

She stressed that Nepal from the position of Chair of least developed countries should be more responsible in the activities of sustainable development goals and upgrading.

All UN member countries in 2015 had approved sustainable development goals (2016-2030) and started implementing it.  Nepal has prepared sustainable development goals 2016-30 roadmap for Nepal and implemented it. 

As per the recent statistics of the National Planning Commission, Nepal has achieved around 43 percent progress so far in sustainable development goals.

According to the NPC, the workshop was organized at the coordination of the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.

Representatives from line ministries, Nepal Rastra Bank, Policy and Planning Commission of all provinces, National association of Rural Municipalities, Municipal Association of Nepal, private sector, representatives of government and non-government offices and cooperative sector were present on the occasion.