ISDB Coordination Group Seminar 2016, Jakarta

BANGLADESH’S EXPERIENCE IN ADOPTING SDGs

MOHAMMAD MEJBAHUDDINSENIOR SECRETARY

Economic Relations Division (ERD) Ministry of Finance

Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh

POINTS FOR DISCUSSION• A quick overview of past success that lays the

FOUNDATION for SDGs in Bangladesh• Linking SDGs to national development plan—the

pathway• Financing to support SDGs implementation• Potential key challenges to SDGs implementation• External actors engagement in SDGs implementation

• Bangladesh demonstrated remarkable success in all MDGs laying a solid foundation for attaining any future development goals

• The challenges of poverty have been successfully overcome: head count poverty 24.8% in 2015 (29.9% in 2011), extreme poverty 12.9% in 2015 (16.5% in 2011)

• Already categorized as a L-MIC by the WB• Over 6.5% GDP steady growth for couple of years; projected to grow at 7.05% rate by

the end of 2015-16 FY—first time in our history• Remarkable human development track record (2015):

Net enrolment at primary level: 97.3% (91% in 2010)Gender parity in primary and secondary education enrolment Under-five mortality rate/1000 live births: 46 (62 in 2010)Population growth rate: 1.37% (1.4% in 2010)Maternal mortality rate/100000 live births: 170 (194 in 2010)Births attended by skilled heath personnel: 42.1% (24% in 2010)Ratio of girls to boys in tertiary education (in %): 70 (32 in 2010)

• Access to improved sanitation facilities (% of population): 57% (53 in 2010)• Enhanced access of the rural people to health facilities through community clinics: 10,723 CCs

• Inclusive growth and addressing inequality and vulnerably through social safety nets` Expenditure: 2% of GDP/13% of government’s expenditure

Beneficiaries: Elderly people; physically challenged; widow; Policy support: National Social Safety Net Strategy

• Resilience to climate change: Climate Change Trust Fund—GoB owned and managed; backed by Parliament Act

SDGs JOURNEY STARTS WITH A SOLID FOUNDATION OF DEVELOPMENT

ACCOLADES THAT TESTIFY BANGLADESH’S STRONG COMMITMENT TO PREVIOUS GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS

• Bangladesh is currently pursuing its flagship development plan—the Seventh Five-year Plan (SFYP); it articulates country’s development goals and vision embedding Bangladesh’s commitment to become a middle-income country by 2021 to realize the Vision 2021 of the current government

• SFYP and SDGs seem a hand-in-hand journey for Bangladesh as both started concomitantly

• Both share the same core objectives: empowering people, ensuring prosperity, advancing peace, strengthening partnership, protecting the planet

• Eradication of extreme poverty is a cardinal strategic point of SFYP aligning with the major goal of SDGs

• SFYP aims to strive for just, equitable and inclusive economic growth, gender equality and social development while protecting the environment

• SFYP strives to achieve 7.4% GDP growth synchronizing with SDGs suggested attaining above 7% growth by LDCs

• 56% of SDG targets are aligned with SFYP targets; 7% has no relevance to Bangladesh

• HOW DID IT HAPPEN: Bangladesh was actively engaged in the preparatory exercises of SDGs; it maintained the same spirit and strategies for its SFYP as it suggested for SDGs; maintained a participatory approach involving all stakeholders to policy articulation. Many of Bangladesh’s proposals were reflected in SDGs.

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND SDGs: THE ADOPTION PATHWAY

INSTITUTIONAL APPROACH

• Despite SDGs strong convergence with SFYP, the government has formed a high-level inter-ministerial committee to monitor the progress of SDGs demonstrating its special commitment; Principal Secretary, PMO heads the Committee while Secretaries of critical ministries are members; the Committee will report back to the PM in every six month; the first meeting of the Committee already held in February 2016

• Bangladesh’s rich experience in MDG implementation will serve as a major reference for SDG implementation

• Line Ministries asked to map their role against each SDG, meaning realistic alignment at the Sector level; every SDG target has been assigned against some lead Ministries along with support Ministries (draft done); in the mapping SDG targets aligned with SFYP

• General Economics Division (GED) of the Planning Commission will coordinate with line ministries

• Development result framework (DRF) embedded in SFYP will help monitor the progress in real terms; DRF: 14 priority areas; 88 indicators

NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT GOALS AND SDGS: THE ADOPTION PATHWAY

Mid-term national development plan

(Seventh Five Year Plan and beyond)

17 SDGs169 Targets

Long-term national development framework

(Perspective Plan)

Vision

Annual plans (Annual Development Programmes/ADP)

Priorities for the year

Sectoral mid-term strategies

National mid-term strategy

Overall development objectives

NATIONAL OBJECTIVES AND SDGs: POLICY LINKAGE OVERVIEW

Sectoral Plans

• Three consecutive Five-year Plan will be needed to implement SDGs by 2030

• The SFYP foresees that the private sector will play key role in development financing accounting for 77.3%, external source only 9.6% (total estimated 31.9 trillion BDTK for the SFYP)

• Transformative reforms initiatives are in place to increase DRM and facilitate private sector’s smooth growth and competitive business environment

• Result based development approach in practice • Coherent policy interventions are in place for ensuring results of external

resources, particularly ODA (aid policy, AIMS); ODA catalytic role for private sector growth

• PPP is a priority agenda; several measures have been taken for scaling up FDIs; Act, policies are in place

• DPs are using SFYP and SDGs while developing country assistance strategies

• Investment plans need to comply with SFYP and SDG targets to ensure strategic use of resources

FINANCING SDGs IMPLEMENTATION

• Continued coherent policy support to private sector: As the economy grows, private sector is becoming the key actor in development financing; any challenge to private sector would undermine financing plan

• Institutional and human capacity: The implementation requires robust institutional and human ability to ensure strategic policy support, quick and quality implementation. Despite improvements, still many public sector institutions face capacity challenge

• Governance improvement: Improvement in legal system; transparency and accountability; strong governance in capital market

• Sustainable skill formal scheme: Ensuring quality in education; skill based education system; education sector governance reforms

• Effective collaboration and coordination: Since several institutions are engaged in different aspects of development, ensuring effective collaboration and coordination may appear as a challenge

• Resources constraint: Bangladesh needs resources in some key areas particularly in transformative infrastructure (energy, physical infrastructure, connectivity etc.), education and health. National private sector may not be able to support mega projects. External borrowing shall be required

• Stability in external trade performance: Several internal and external factors can affect international trade performance resulting in having negative effect on private sector growth and contribution

POTENTIAL CHALLENGES TO SDGs IMPLEMENTATION

• Bangladesh has a rich legacy of development partnership since the independence; it maintains a policy approach that promotes conducive environment for development collaboration

• Many multilateral and bi-lateral donors are actively supporting government’s development targets

• Despite Bangladesh’s economic progress, still there is much room for development partners for financing for development

• In order to provide coherent approach in development cooperation, the government is developing a national policy to help DPs find the best means and areas for partnership and ensure best use of resources

• Bangladesh recognizes ISDB’s long standing contribution to its development; ISDB is welcome to support the government’s SFYP and SDGs objectives

• DPs can collaborate with private sector playing catalytic role • Bangladesh welcomes supports that contribute directly to poverty reduction,

growth creation, enhance capacity of trading (aid for trade), skill upscaling and employment opportunities, easy and safe migration of professionals and workers, and sustainable infrastructures

SCOPE OF EXTERNAL ACTORS ENGAGEMENT

THANK YOU

Looking Forward to a Happy and Prosperous Bangladesh