UNRISD Expertise to Strengthen UN Capacity on SDGs at Country Level

Identified as one of the most relevant and knowledgeable thought leaders in the United Nations, UNRISD has been appointed to the new United Nations Learning Advisory Council for the 2030 Agenda, created this month by Deputy Secretary-General and UN Sustainable Development Group Chair, Amina J. Mohammed. The purpose of the Council—to challenge conventional thinking and develop new insights on knowledge and learning around key global and national SDG-related challenges—aligns well with UNRISD’s mandate.

As a member of the Council, UNRISD will contribute to developing a system-wide SDG Knowledge and Certification Programme to be used in particular by Resident Coordinators, their Offices and UN Country Teams, in line with the Secretary-General’s vision of strengthened UN capacity at national level. The Programme will specifically focus on upgrading understanding of the interconnected dynamics of social-environmental-economic-governance mechanisms required by the SDG framework, and on enhancing capacities to carry out integrated analysis and planning.

The Programme will also be available to Member States and partners, and is intended to foster cross-synergies between the various United Nations training institutions and agencies, funds and programmes.

The Council will convene (face-to-face and/or virtually) approximately three times a year and will be hosted by the United Nations Development Operations Coordination Office (UNDOCO). Regular progress reports will be shared with the Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG) on the development, direction and impact of the work of the Council.