Mainstreaming Sustainable Development at National Level: Belize Experience, Opportunities and Challenges

Transcription

1 Mainstreaming Sustainable Development at National Level: Belize Experience, Opportunities and Challenges Wiezsman Pat Director, Sustainable Development Unit November 17, 2015

2 BELIZE Population (mid 2015): 368,310 Currency: Belize dollar ($2 Belize to US$1) Economy: Natural resource based GDP: Real Growth rate 3.6% Real GDP per capita: US$4,760 Belize is a nation on the eastern coast of Central America, with Caribbean Sea shorelines to the east and dense jungle to the west. It's known for its beaches, eco-lodges, scuba diving and sport fishing. Offshore, the massive Belize Barrier Reef, dotted with hundreds of cayes, hosts rich marine life. Belize s jungle areas are rich with flora and fauna and houses many Mayan sites.

3 Background Belize - medium term (3 year) macro-economic development plans and a poverty reduction strategy one coherent long-term vision to guide the development of medium term plans 2009 The long-term visioning process begins Horizon 2030 Long-Term Vision for Belize

4 Belize is a country of peace and tranquility, where citizens live in harmony with the natural environment and enjoy a high quality of life. Belizeans are an energetic, resourceful and independent people looking after their own development in a sustainable way. The National Vision

5 Development Pillars Democratic governance for effective public administration and sustainable development Education for Development - Education for Life Economic Resilience: Generating resources for long term development Healthy Citizens and a Healthy Environment.

6 A Long-term Development Vision for Belize A Global Long-term Development Goals

7 The National Sustainable Development Planning Process SD integrated into a Ministerial portfolio Ministerial mandate to define its role in relation to SD 2013 a UN SD pilot country 2014 SDGs to replace the MDGs receives financial and technical support (UNDESA and UNDP) to develop an NSDS 2014 Stakeholder consultations (NSDS Framework)

8 Merging processes NSDS stakeholders voted yes to the merger Two key Ministries agree A merger action plan developed UN Agencies (UNDP and UNDESA) support the merger Two lead consultants work together on the merged document The GSDS developed GSDS approved in June, 2015

9 The Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy Improving the quality of life of all Belizeans

10 Growth and Sustainable Development Strategy Natural, environmental, historical, and cultural assets Optimal national income and investment A better quality of life for all Belizeans, living now and in the future Governance and citizen security Social cohesion and resilience Adapted from the Sustainable Development Framework of the United Nations Task Team 2012 and used in a presentation by Atkison and Vital, February, 2015 Adapted from the Sustainable Development Framework of the United Nations Task Team 2012

11 Overall Structure of the GSDS OVERARCHING GOAL To improve the quality of life of all Belizeans, living now and in the future CSF1: Optimal national income and investment CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS CSF2: Enhanced social cohesion and resilience (enhanced equity) CSF3: Sustained or improved health of environmental, historical, and cultural assets CSF4: Enhanced governance and citizen security NC1 NC2 etc. NC1 NC2 etc. NC1 NC2 etc. NC1 NC2 etc. Adopted from a presentation by Atkison and Vital, February, 2015

12 NSDS aligned with H2030 and the SDGs economic growth linkages with sustainable cities, climate change and oceans, marine and terrestrial biodiversity protection. poverty as a multi-dimensional issue with social cohesion and equity dimensions natural and cultural assets critical in promoting economic development and human well-being (food security, water security) governance as a central pillar of development

13 Institutional Arrangements

14 Challenges Alignment of national budgets with the priorities of the GSDS (moving further into programme budgeting and reducing the debt to GDP Ratio to sustainable levels) Human resource capacity for adaptive management within the context of the SD Framework (policy coordination, policy analysis and M&E)

15 Next Steps Establishment of the Advisory Body and Technical Committees Application of the prioritization framework Completion of the M&E Plan (working groups) GSDS Implementation (ongoing) M&E and Reporting on Progress

16

17