Launch of Sustainable Development Goals support to the FSM

 (FSM, Friday, 19^th February 2016) The Government of Federated States of Micronesia and UNDP Pacific Office today signed an annual work plan to assist the Government raise awareness on the SDGs and to provide support at the national and state level in terms of achieving the 2030 Global Development Agenda, known as the “Sustainable Development Goals”.

The 17 new Sustainable Development Goals and corresponding 169 targets, aim to end poverty, hunger and inequality, take action on climate change and the environment, improve access to health, education, achieve peace, justice and strong institutions.

The SDGs build on achievements over the past 15 years guided by the 8 Millennium Development Goals, which world leaders agreed to pursue in 2000. The SDGs will continue to focus on eradication of poverty, gender equality, health and education, but they are more ambitious and specific in their focus on reducing inequalities.

For Small Islands Developing States such as FSM, one of the important goals, Goal 14: Life below Water recognises and emphasises the importance of conserving the oceans, seas and marine resources to counterbalance the effects of climate change.

UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative, Osnat Lubrani, who is currently visiting the FSM says, “The SDGs is a plan of action for ending poverty in all its dimensions and seeks to leave no one behind. It seeks to forge partnerships with people and to ensure that goals are integrated, interlinked and involve everyone including the private sector, such is the ambition of these new goals.”

Acting Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Samson E. Pretrick welcomes the support by the UN and UNDP, “The Government appreciates the technical assistance provided by the UN and UNDP in particular, and on this note, will seek to engage on the SDGs agenda from the outset and to ensure that we are on track when it comes to reporting on the SDGs.”

UNDP will focus its assistance on ensuring an integrated and holistic approach to tackling the SDGs, leveraging partnerships with government, donors and development partners, private sector and civil society

Meanwhile, SDGs advocacy will involve collective effort by the UN agencies in the Pacific to raise awareness on the sustainable development goals and to ensure that strong partnerships are formed at the National and State levels in driving this work forward.

For more information on the SDGs launch, contact: UNDP Programme Analyst:

patrick.tuimaleliiafano@undp.org or UN Resident Coordinator’s Office agnes.harm@one.un.org