President, IDBGroup Dr. BandarHajjar are serving with thoseofthecountrieswe aligning ourstrategicpriorities committed totheSDGs, Development, IDBisfully 2030 Agendaforsustainable countries signingonthe allour57member With Ahmed Faruk Diken Zafarjon Khotamov , GSPD Kashif Iqbal,ITFC LO , ICD Ibrahima Thierno Abdallah MKiliaki,exIDBStaff Aamir GhaniMir,OPSD CONTRIBUTORS • The IDBG CoPonSDGs Results • InternalSDGsSurvey • Aligning SDGstoIDBG10YS • SDGsandPrivateSector • SDGsandHumanDevelopment • SDGsandPoverty • From MDGStoSDGs • Editorial IN THISISSUE , CAP SDGs Practice current ontheSDGswhichprovides knowledgeanddebate onSDGs summariesof A Quarterly Newsletter brought toyoubytheIslamicDevelopmentBankGroup Community of EDITORIAL have already madestridesinarticulating businesses, MDBs, civil societies, etc.) as manystakeholders(governments, that we have to catch up with the world ahead ofus.Asamatterfact,itseems Group. However, lotsofworkisstill support oftheManagementIDB IDB Group, withfullendorsement and throughouthave startedinearnest the The efforts ofmainstreaming theSDGs adapting ourinterventionsaccordingly. needs of our membercountries (MCs) and and motivatedbyunderstandingthereal therefore ourworkontheSDGsisinitiated vary from onecountryto another, and recognize thatdevelopment objectives are fully committed to the SDGs. We (Maqasid Al-Shariaa).We at theIDBGroup development from anIslamic perspective in linewiththeprinciplesandobjectivesof dignity and leaving no one behind is fully development. Suchanaspirationforhuman economic andenvironment dimensionsof specific targets,encompassingthesocial, Development Goals(SDGs)and169 implementing SDGs of IDBMemberCountriesin Seminar onSupportingefforts level Sustainable to achieve17high 2030 Agendaaspires development. The sustainable human comprehensive and on anewagendafor The worldhassigned

DIGEST ISSUE #1|DHULHIJJAH1438/SEPTEMBER2017 Special EnvoyonSDGs Rami Ahmad and beyondinthenearfuture, insh’Allah! practitioners onSDGswithintheIDBGroup the SDGsDigestvoiceofdevelopment your supportandparticipationtomake of thecore teamoftheCoP, whoseeks SDGs Digest. Thisnewsletter is the product various perspectivesinthisfirstissueofthe at all management levels. You will find enlightening decisionsrelated totheSDGs awareness and positively influencing and dialogues withtheobjectiveofraising as anincubatortoinstigatedebatesand Practice (CoP)hasbeencreated toserve their respective fields,a Communityof of executivesandprofessionals in the work of IDBG is the responsibility the mainstreaming ofthe SDGswithin While ensuringtheadjustmentsand projects andprograms relevant toSDGs. distinguished narratives and adapt our that wedevelopandadvocateour awareness andalignment, itisimperative we are makingsomeprogress between Advocacy andAdaptation.Although along fourlines:Awareness, Alignment, manifested through variousactivities Our commitmenttotheSDGsisbeing contributions withintheSDGsframework. their objectives and presenting their

! SDGs DIGEST A JOURNEY FROM MDGs TO SDGs

By Aamir Ghani Mir Senior Operations Quality and Results Management Specialist SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

MDGs to SDGs In 2000, the international development community not benefitted enough from progress on the MDGs, there was adopted eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to be a need of a shift in policy and to expand development agenda. implemented within 15 years (2000-2015). On 25 September 2015, the international development community and the governments of 193 countries adopted MDG 8 was probably a significant step in moving the idea of a comprehensive agenda of “Transforming our World: 2030 global solidarity and international responsibilities for scaling up Agenda of Sustainable Development” through an inclusive and efforts and strengthening partnership for poverty reduction, comprehensive consultative process. As a framework to guide and clearly defining benchmark targets of progress. implementation of international development agenda of SDGs, While a number of international crises (including global food, 17 Goals and 169 Targets were agreed. financial and economic crises) and conflicts were witnessed SDGs address unfinished business of MDGs and focus on during this time (2000-2015), substantial progress was also emerging challenges and future aspirations to achieve made in improving people lives. Though overall results are inclusive and sustainable development. SDGs reflect an mixed for the MDGs, some clear successes are visible, notably ambitious development objective and transformative vision for the reduction of extreme poverty and the improvement of improving human well-being while leaving no one behind. enrolments in primary schools. Global poverty reduction was halved mainly due to economic progress in China and India. SDGs are universally applicable to both developed and developed More children than ever are attending primary school, child countries. It encompasses: (i) economic development, (ii) social deaths have dropped dramatically, and access to safe drinking inclusion and, (iii) preserving the environment. It calls for an water greatly expanded. Targeted investments in fighting adoptive development, pursued in a sustainable manner to malaria, AIDS and tuberculosis have saved millions of people. improve the quality of human life within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems. Unfinished Business In essence, SDGs aim at improving quality of people’s lives, Regardless the progress achieved under the MDG framework, eradicating poverty and hunger, promoting health and clearly progress was extremely geographically uneven, with education, reducing inequality and gender disparities while global progress camouflaging regional slippage, and regional building sustainable infrastructure, making cities more progress concealing deterioration in individual countries. This sustainable, combating climate change, and protecting oceans means that substantial challenges remained including high and forests and protecting bio-diversity. The SDGs support incidence of poverty and inequality. Poverty continues to peace and justice and promote economic growth that is remain high in developing countries across Asia and Africa inclusive, equitable and sustainable. and progress on health related goals are off-track, especially in Africa. Over 1 billion people continue to face hunger and Implementation of SDGs extreme poverty, access to basic services remains limited, and A comprehensive framework is provided for the implementation child and maternal mortality remain high. These challenges are of SDGs with emphasis on multi-stakeholders partnerships. augmented by the growing population, youth bulge, urban Financing modalities were outlined under Addis Ababa Action sprawl, economic and social vulnerabilities, growing conflict Agenda (AAAA) with the aim to increase financing through and impact of climate change. traditional and new mechanisms and covering both domestic The situation is particularly alarming in low income countries and international finance. The framework aims at enhancing currently witnessing slow economic growth due to high effectiveness of development financing through better reliance on natural resources and agriculture commodities. governance, increasing transparency and improving financial These countries are faced with structural challenges; including management. limited investment in human development and institutional capacity, lack of an enabling environment and transparent In conclusion, implementing SDGs offer both challenges and governance to ensure active participation of private sector in opportunities for countries. This transformative agenda cannot socio-economic development. be achieved successfully through a business-as-usual approach. It requires more collaborative efforts amongst all stakeholders Multidimensional Nature of SDGs including providers of international development finance, The fact that the population of many developing countries have partner countries, private sector and civil society.

2 SDGs DIGEST ISSUE #1 | DHUL HIJJAH 1438 / SEPTEMBER 2017 SDGS AND POVERTY REDUCTION: The Connection is Not Project Financing per se, but Political Will – That’s the Way I See It

investible resources that otherwise would is their right to do so!). The performance have been looted or wasted. Corruption of Government officials, including Cabinet is being fought aggressively and decisively, Ministers, is monitored continuously and regardless of one’s social or financial status. non-achievers and the corrupt dismissed In only two years (October 2015-todate), and shamed. As a result, public service there have been huge increases in social delivery is on the rise. There is every reason sector spending alongside agriculture and to be optimistic. infrastructure. Development expenditure The combination of public confidence and has risen from 25% of to 40% of the a supportive Government is galvanizing By Abdallah M Kiliaki national budget, the first time in 30 years. the country in tackling binding constraints ex-IDB Staff (Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) Agro-based industrialization drive is starting including the treacherous 16 (+1) “hilltops”, to absorb the teeming youth and improve the SDGs. Poverty reduction is being pursued farmers’ incomes; in addition to forging through increased social sector spending and Literally, one cannot sustain what one has domestic economic linkages. Primary One labor-intensive, agro-based manufacturing not achieved. Isn’t it? Suffice it to say, the enrollment has shot up by 95%, and free that will create jobs for millions. The question word “sustainable” as used in the context education has been introduced up to to us all is, if political will is the answer, of the SDGs, has a dateline of 2030 in which secondary level. Allocation for essential drugs how do we make our MC Governments the world is expected to live socially just, has increased 8-fold. Direct procurement accountable to the public (as in the case economically inclusive and environmentally of essential drugs from manufacturers has of the current administration in Tanzania)? responsible. outwitted the profiteering middlemen, How do we embed this enabling factor into curtailed over-the-counter (retail) prices Where is the starting point? How do we the IDB’s development paradigm without by half, making drugs and other primary ensure that in the next 13 years or so, life in infringing on MCs’ sovereignty? For, without healthcare services available and affordable. this world would be indeed sustainable and this engagement, the Bank’s development Majority of expectant mothers no longer not threatened, as it is today, by poverty, financing activities may not yield the desired deliver on the floors. Teachers and health greed and irrational human conduct? impact on the SDGs. Corruption and workers are paid on time; and a cobweb With a universal buy-in on the SDGs, mismanagement (as we have seen in this of 80 or so counterproductive levies and what measures have we put in place in country) are the greatest threats to socio- tariffs on primary agricultural products, order to achieve them alongside their economic endeavors and the SDGs. There’s hitherto charged arbitrarily by area councils, attendant sub-goals and activities? no option but rooting them out. We will have been removed; making agriculture What is the connection between SDGs and be surprised to find out how endowed our attractive even at subsistence level for the poverty reduction? Is project, trade and MCs actually are with vast latent resources first time. Dormant infrastructure projects, other financing activities enough to pursue that could easily be harnessed to fund SDGs especially water supply, have been revived the SDGs? Well, not quite! The most critical and other public investments. Above all, and implemented speedily. Non-performing enabling factor, in my view, is political will, MCs would have true ownership of their contractors are penalized and red-listed. a conscious and unwavering vow by the development process. Power outages, frequent in the past, are political leadership to challenge the status rare. Total national production capacity quo. That’s the way I see it. When I look remains limited though! Mega power at the trillions of US Dollars that have been projects are in the offing. The rich, notorious estimated to fund and attain the 17 SDGs, for tax evasion, are complying. Again for my mood gets dampened. The quantum of the first time, the Government is offering financing is just too overwhelming. That real support and incentives to the local amount of money is simply not there! Is private sector. With more women holding political will the answer? senior Government positions at all levels Yes, we see this happening in a few Sub- (including a woman Vice President), we Saharan African countries such as Botswana, see gender, children and other social issues Ethiopia, Ghana, Rwanda and Tanzania. being put on the fore and acted upon. Faith In the case of Tanzania, we are witnessing in Government by the previously skeptical dramatic changes on the socio-economic public is surging, and at long last, there’s front that were deemed unthinkable only law and order and jail is no longer a reserve three years ago – all through the efforts only for the poor. The voiceless are being of one determined individual, the Head of heard and served pronto, and are repeatedly State. A minus zero tolerance on corruption being told by the highest holder of office and incompetence has unlocked massive to raise their voices even louder (because it

3 SDGs DIGEST SDGs AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT Unconventional findings to help accelerate the achievement of the SDGs on Health and Education

(J-PAL), at the Department of Economics of use) the bed-nets if they get them for free. the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Both of Sachs and Esterly use compelling (MIT) in Cambridge. They are based on the anecdotes and think there is no need to do evaluation golden standard, which mimics experiments because it is so obvious. the Randomized Control Trials (RCTs). RCTs Dupas found from her RCT experiment in have modernized Medicine in the 20th Kenya that almost everybody took bednet century by allowing medical researchers to when it is free. However, the demand for distinguish drugs that work and drugs that nets fell to very close to zero at the price of do not work. By Ibrahima Thierno LO $0.75 USD PPP5. On the other hand, people Principal Monitoring and Evaluation at ICD In development research, RCTs compare who got the bednet free are more likely “identical” groups at baseline, and their to pay for a second one in the future (the evolution after receiving different levels of learning effect). Finally, in terms of use, there interventions (or treatments), one being the is no significant difference between the In September 2015, the World’s Nations control group (which doesn’t receive the ones who got it for free and the ones who signed the ambitious 2030 development intervention or treatment). purchased it. agenda, including two development goals related to Health and Education: ensure 1. Do big questions and big numbers One main lesson from the experiment is healthy lives and promote well-being for matter more than small and more that with people facing a poverty trap, free all at all ages (SDG3), and ensure inclusive localized questions? Example of Resource distribution of bed-nets have big benefits. and equitable quality education and mobilization However, without poverty trap, free promote lifelong learning opportunities for distribution will not produce efficiency gains. all(SDG4). The University of Pennsylvania did the experiment by varying a message to two 3. Is it possible to deliver quality education One big difference between the Millennium identical groups of students about a call for to the poor? The Top of the Class Development Goals (MDGs, 2000-2015) donation. The group of students who has An ASER6 survey in India found that about and the Sustainable Development Goals received the message picturing the story of 35% of children age 7-14 could not read (SDGs, 2015-2030) is that the latter are a 7-year-old girl from Mali, Roqayya, facing a grade 1 paragraph, and 60% could not focused on the root causes, specifically severe hunger and starvation donate 2.5 read a grade 2 story in 2005 and there is on the how: how to make difference in times more than the group of students who no progress since 2005. Similar results were people’s lives. In this area, it is expected receive the broad message that gives the found in Kenya, Pakistan, and Uganda. from MDBs like IDBG to invent new ways to big picture of millions of people in different address development challenges. countries in need of immediate assistance. In Kenya, Michael Kremer et al have used RCT and found that more textbooks and Development challenges are huge, but as Big questions and big numbers are more pedagogic materials had no effect on explained by Banerjee and Duflo1, there not the best wake-up calls compared education outcomes. Neither did reducing are three “I”s that explain the failure of to concrete and identifiable problems the class size by building more schools or many development interventions: Ideology, addressed by small questions with hiring more teachers. Ignorance and Inertia. Based on several strong and robust scientific evidences. field experiments, they argue that policy To address the question, J-PAL partnered 2. Should we subsidize health services to makers usually rely simply on their intuitions with an Indian NGO (Pratham) in 1999 to increase coverage or make people pay to about what is going to work. Instead of conduct a series of RCT based evaluations value and use them more? Example of developing policies and programs based on of the program called Balsaki (child’s friend). strong evidence reflecting the real lives of Bed-nets the individuals they are supposed to help lift Malaria is the leading cause of under- out of poverty, they have been often using five mortality in the world. Every year, untested assumptions, big speculations, 881,000 people die from Malaria, 91% harmful misconceptions, or competing are concentered in Africa and 85% are anecdotes. under five. The prevention against Malaria In this article, we will first present three is mainly based on the use of insecticide examples of striking findings that challenge treated bed-nets to prevent mosquitoes (the the development interventions’ standard main transmission agent) to bite people and approach, and then we will discuss the transmit the disease. implications for Multilateral Development The finding of Pascaline Dupas from the Banks such as the IDBG. University of California is a great contribution to the debate between Jeffery Sachs2 who STRIKING FINDINGS advocates for free bed-net distribution and Photo credit ICD, May - 2017 The following findings are promoted by William Esterly3 & Dambisa Moyo4 who argue School for poor people at the community level the Abdu Lateef Jameel Poverty Action Lab that people will not value (and hence will not CSR of PRAN-RFL, Client of ICD in Bangladesh

4 SDGs DIGEST ISSUE #1 | DHUL HIJJAH 1438 / SEPTEMBER 2017

A young woman, from the children’s Moreover, other experiments show that panacea, as they cannot answer to all types community, with 10-12 grade education by simply telling people the benefit of of development questions, but they are very worked with the students who lagged education, you get 20.7 extra years of useful to find new cost-effective ways of behind in class, for about 2 hours per day, education for every US$100 you spend in addressing specific development challenges and focused on basic skills. She was only your program. For the same amount, you on the ground. given 2 weeks basic training and on-the-job will get 13.9 extra years for deworming kids To complement the excellent macro- support. The program was able to serve 38 at school, only 0.09 year for conditional cash economic researches and the evaluations we million children in India. transfer, 0.27 year with scholarship program are already doing, we should be undertaking and 1.7 year for adding extra teacher. The effect of the program on the kids was development experiments and providing substantial. At the end of the program, all IMPLICATIONS FOR IDBG member countries with the state-of-the-art participating kids who could not read before knowledge on development solutions options The IDBG President’s new roadmap sets the program could at least recognize letters. that help improve people’s lives and achieve the vision for the future: “We live in a Compared to the control group, those who the SDGs in the most efficient manner. As a rapidly changing world. Unless we are could read only letters were 26 percent more concrete example, Education and Health are adequately responsive to the changes and likely to be able to read a short story. two key sectors with remarkable multiplier adaptive to development with efficiency and effects among many others, where IDBG The conclusion of Banerjee and Duflo is heart effectiveness, we will not be able to preserve can develop new solutions in partnership breaking. In many developing countries, the [the Islamic Development Bank Group’s] with leading international research centers, education system is designed to teach to the achievements”7. universities and local NGOs. elite (the top of the class): “The children of Today, to use the words of the President, we the rich go to schools that not only teach have tremendous opportunities to transform more and teach better, but where they Notes the Bank from an “intervention-bank” are treated with compassion and helped 1. Authors of “Poor Economics, a radical rethinking focused on approvals and disbursements to of the way to fight global poverty”, Financial Times/ to reach their true potential. The poor end a “developer-bank” focused on empowering Goldman Sachs Business Book of the Year, up in schools that make it very clear quite member countries. 2. Author of the best seller “The End of Poverty”, early that they are not wanted unless they Senior UN advisor and one of the leader in the SDG show some exceptional gifts, and they are As a world-class learning organization, we Agenda. in effect expected to suffer in silence until should be taking stock of the successful 3. Author of the “White Man’s Burden” they drop out. This creates a huge waste of and innovative practices and adapt them to 4. Author of “Dead Aid” talent. Among all those people who drop the local development needs and realities in out somewhere between primary school and collaboration with our partners, including 5. Purchasing Power Parity college and those who never start school, government actors, private sector clients and 6. ASER stands for Annual Status of Education many, perhaps most, are the victims of some civil societies. Report, which provides estimates of children’s schooling status and basic learning levels. misjudgment somewhere: Parents who give up too soon, teachers who never tried to Development experiments based on 7. Speech of the President during the October 2016 Special Staff Gathering teach them, the students’ own diffidence”. Randomized Control Trials (RCT) are not a

SDGs AND PRIVATE SECTOR The Sustainable Development Goals – An ITFC Trade Finance Insight

Advancing Trade and Improving Lives Advancing Trade and Improving Lives are the founding values of ITFC. These twin values are at the core of ITFCs 10-year Strategy, which is designed to deliver financial growth through the provision of trade finance solutions, and create development impact across our 57 MCs. It is this balancing mandate which inspired ITFC By Kashif Iqbal to launch its inaugural Annual Development Strategy Manager, ITFC Effectiveness Report in 2017, which was organized around six themes, each linked against ITFCs Strategic Pillars, the IDBG Strategic Objectives, and contributing towards the SDGs. This concept has come to represent ITFCs Development Impact Framework. The six themes of ITFCs Development Impact

5 SDGs DIGEST

Framework contribute towards seven of the SDGs. How Does ITFC Contribute Towards the SDGs? With support from our partners, ITFC accounted for approximately 15% of the US30 billion trade finance extended by Multilateral Development Banks in 2016 alone. This contribution of 15% can be segmented across ITFCs six development themes and towards the attainment of the SDGs. 1. Inclusive Growth: i) ITFC continues to drive its inclusive growth activities by contributing 28% of the portfolio towards Least Development Member Countries (LDMCs) in 2016, thereby 4. Sustainability supporting economic growth and development in countries being left behind by the global economy. i) As a result of the transition of global development policy from solely economic growth and poverty reduction ii) With the global trade-finance gap estimated at around towards the perspective of sustainability, ITFC has significant US1.6 trillion and total market for trade finance is US8 opportunities to participate in the climate change trends of trillion, ITFC plays in a large market and can support inclusive today and the future. growth through its strengths in key regions in which the Trade Finance gap persists. ii) ITFC has chosen access to energy and climate financing as focus areas of effective operation which led to a steady iii) For instance, ITFC was able to contribute 46% of the upward trend in the estimated number of people provided portfolio towards LDMCs in order to close a market gap with energy access as a result of ITFC financed trades. after hydrocarbon prices significantly reduced in 2014. As a result, ITFC provided access to reliable energy to an estimated 8 million people in 2016. 2. Private-Sector Development: i) In alignment with leading development-finance institutions, iii) ITFC was able to provide over US 190 million in food imports ITFC supports SMEs through financial intermediaries such as across MCs in 2016. local banks, via a two-step Murabaha process. 5. Delivery Effectiveness: ii) The share of SME finance in the portfolio rose sharply in i) ITFC’s share of intra-OIC trade stands at approximately 75% 2016 to 14% of the portfolio when including external in its portfolio in 2016, proving that ITFC is making a strong contributions from partners. contribution towards the strategic objective of fostering iii) In terms of absolute financing, this amounted to US 553 Connectivity of OIC Member Countries. million, up from US 206 million in 2015, more than doubling ii) Decentralization is another key element in the delivery of ITFC SME financing through two-step Murabaha financing. 10-year plan. ITFC intends to raise its visibility and improve Iv) ITFC’s resources have been more often directly towards the focus on deal generation and sourcing to support the supporting trade in marginal sectors in economically difficult objective of diversifying the trade-finance portfolio across times (post financial crisis) thereby creating a considerable geographic regions and sectors. impact on employment growth. iii) Local presence also allows ITFC to identify and respond to local needs, to drive the introduction of new Islamic trade 3. Technology, Skills & Innovation: products and trade development programs. i) As Trade is one of the most important channels of technology transfer, ITFC aims to capitalize on this opportunity through 6. Portfolio Management: supporting trade in goods and services which embody i) Diversifying the portfolio away from the sectors of oil and technological advances or large knowledge spill-overs. gas are a high priority of ITFC. In 2016 approximately 44% ii) Going forward, this trend will support ITFC’s partnership of the portfolio represented non-petroleum trade finance. strategy and its aspirations to be a leader in Islamic Trade ii) Additionally, ITFC is tracking progress towards greater Finance and strengthen its position in the market even development effectiveness based on an ITFC weighting further. involving the use of the Human Development Index (HDI). iii) ITFC’s impact achieved in this area covers three main areas: ITFCs six development themes bring a clear development intent - Improving intra-regional trade among 21 Arab Countries to ITFCs strategic agenda, fulfilling a balancing mandate between the provision of trade finance solutions and the creation of - Strengthening regional and sub-regional organizations development impact across MCs. ITFC will continue to stand in capacity to foster trade integration solidarity with our Member Countries, using trade as the engine - To enhance regional competitiveness through trade of growth to address market gaps and promote the development reforms agenda through the SDGs. The importance of the SDGs will continue to be reflected through the ITFC Development Impact iv) ITFC, as one of the seven funders of the multi-donor multi- Framework and the pursuit for inclusive growth, private sector year AfTIAS programs, contributed US 1 million for the development, capacity building and sustainability will continue financing of 11 multi-year project under implementation by to be demonstrated in the trade finance solutions provided by International Agencies and ITFC partners. ITFC across our 57 MCs.

6 SDGs DIGEST ISSUE #1 | DHUL HIJJAH 1438 / SEPTEMBER 2017 ALIGNING SDGs TO IDBG 10YS

and outputs, which relevant SDGs, right targets will be happened over the formulated to steer the performance. By Zafarjon last few years. The KPIs and targets will be set at IDBG results-orientation 10 YS and 3 year work plan levels. As Khotamov of IDBG operations needed the current KPIs and targets Senior Strategy and work plan of IDBG 10YS will be revised and Management turn development updated. Specialist challenges in MCs (iii) Monitoring results. In order to manage to opportunities for IDBG progress on SDGs, measuring 1. Why IDBG should link SDGs to IDBG that enhance and monitoring the performance Its Strategy its relevance. By becomes key. Especially given data aligning IDBG 10 YS with SDGs, IDBG will be issues in IDBG, relevant departments As SDGs became important for IDBG able to use the SDGs as a framework to steer, will be requested to work on the data stakeholders, including MCs they need communicate and report on IDBG Vision, 10 systems so that relevant data will be to be mainstreamed and addressed YS, work plans and activities and benefit from: within the overall strategic planning of available on time. - identification of future opportunities related the IDBG. Addressing SDGs through IDBG (iv) Communicating and reporting. to specific SDGs, especially when SDGs aim 10Year Strategy will help IDBG to integrate IDBG will report and communicate to redirect global investment flows towards sustainability in the rolling 3-year work plans its performance on SDGs that bring the development challenges; and Member Country Partnership Strategies it closer to collecting the value and (MCPSs). This will result in strengthening the - anticipation of stakeholder expectations benefits of its engagement with SDGs. incentives to use resources more efficiently. and future policy direction at global, regional The reporting and communication and national levels. will be a tool to enhance IDBG By doing so IDBG can pursue a win-win engagement with stakeholders, - Align priorities MCs and IDBG national situation thereby creating shared values for including for resource mobilization. IDBG 10YS and SDG at a global level. This priorities at SDG level, through MCPSs and can support implementation of the 10YS country programming. 3. IDBG first publication on SDGs through global partnerships where SDGs From a strategic perspective, the following are common language, including support We at GSPD have explored the existing steps for aligning SDGs to IDBG 10 YS are alignment of the 10YS with the SDGs for resource mobilization for implementing proposed: IDBG 10YS. and the extent to which the 2030 (i) Mapping IDBG 10 YS priorities to SDGs. Agenda has been mainstreamed into 2. Aligning SDGs with IDBG 10 YS This will enable IDBG to identify and act strategic planning, and we made on the selected SDGs on which IDBG specific recommendations for enhancing IDBG 10 YS and rolling 3-year work plans 10YS has most material impact. alignment and mainstreaming. We have are already focusing on results - a shift produced the first IDBG publication on from plans being developed around inputs (ii) Setting Targets. After identifying most SDGs - “Towards 2030”. INTERNAL SDGs SURVEY RESULTS

recommendations that will provide the the SDGs. This was evident through the current organizing team to develop its responses to the question that asked program for the rest of 2017, and beyond. whether staff could assess their colleagues as being aware on the SDGs. 41.4% of By Ahmed Faruk Out of all respondents, 75% were from respondents said they did not see that Diken the IDB, while the rest were evenly spread their colleagues are aware, while 55.6% Senior Technical across ICD, ITFC, ICIEC, IRTI and ISFD. Cooperation Specialist said some are aware while others are not. When asked “To what extent are Only 3% of respondents said everyone you familiar with the Sustainable they interacted with know about the SDGs Following the organization of its awareness Development Goals”, 69.7% said they and align their activities with them. building sessions in early summer, the CoP are fully aware of the SDGs, while 28.3% These two results alone show that there is on the SDGs launched a brief survey to said they heard about them but weren’t a need to scale up the conversation among gauge the overall awareness on the SDGs, fully aware. Only 2% said that they were professionals in the IDBG and make sure we are and determine the extent to which there is not aware of the SDGs at all, which is aligning our work with these internationally a conversation on the SDGs within the IDB encouraging to say the least. Group. agreed goals on Sustainable Development. However, while the results show that The good news is that a significant majority of The survey—taken by over a hundred there is a good level of awareness among respondents—over 75%--said that the IDBG colleagues from across the IDB Group— the staff generally, there is not much of must align itself with the SDGs and that this is revealed interesting results, and great a conversation among professionals on key for the work that we do.

7 SDGs DIGEST SDGs DIGEST ISSUE #1 | DHUL HIJJAH 1438 / SEPTEMBER 2017

Apart from looking at the situation at 1. The CoP should continue to enhance the to align the organizational goals with the the IDBG, the survey also asked whether awareness within the IDBG by organizing SDGs and establish a scorecard that can staff saw the Member Countries as aware advocacy sessions that highlights the be regularly shared with staff and MCs and aligned with the SDGs. Here, the successes in alignment internally, as well on how much IDBG is progressing in responses indicate that there is much work as bringing in perspectives from other achieving them. to do when it comes to aligning our MCs Multilateral Development Institutions on In light of the recommendations of the with the SDGs. This was supported by the how they implement the SDGs within their institutions; survey, the CoP will continue to hold high percentage (over 55%) who said that sessions that will provide a platform the MCs are not aligned with the SDGs. 2. Support the mainstreaming of SDGs to scale up the conversation on the within the businesses processes and So, how can the CoP support the internal alignment of the SDGs with our work projects of the IDBG by playing a facilitator conversation on the SDGs and link the across the Group. and coordinator role; learning that takes place within the IDBG The CoP is looking forward to your active to the MCs? Very insightful ideas were 3. Publicize what IDB is doing on aligning participation to help mainstream the SDGs shared by the respondents on what the with the SDGs and share the learning with in our day to day work at the IDBG, with CoP can do. Here is a quick summary of the MCs in order to help them align as well; the overall objective to make a difference the ideas that were shared: 4. Coordinate with the IDBG management in the development efforts of our MCs.

THE IDBG CoP ON SDGs: OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES

The Community of Practice (CoP) on SDGs was established with 4 financing institutions main objectives namely to: (i) spread awareness with IDB Group, in supporting to help align IDB Group’s development agenda with the SDGs, countries effort in (ii) develop core-expertise, generate knowledge and develop implementing SDGs. innovative solutions for MCs to achieve SDGs, (iii) provide insight 2nd Meeting of to the management on potential opportunities related to the SDGs the CoP was held for the IDB Group as well as MCs, and (iv) foster an environment on 5 June 2017 of debate on issues related to SDGs and the relevance of IDB and discussed Group’s contribution to the MCs. forthcoming The CoP on SDGs was launched on 1st May 2017. During the activities and 2017 launch event, the CoP discussed strategic alignment of 10 Year Work Program. Strategy of IDBG with SDGs and examples were presented on Another, key CoP operational alignment with SDGs in areas of Poverty, Hunger and activity was the visit of the UN Deputy Secretary-General, Ms. Transport. An update was provided on recent development of Amina Mohamed to IDB on 12 June 2017. She held meetings SDGs Indicators for measuring progress. An electronic poll was with the IDB Management and interacted with CoP and Bank conducted to get responses of participants on SDGs alignment staff on challenges and opportunities in implementing SDGs. with the IDBG mandate. Most recently, the CoP conducted an IDBG staff survey to gauge On the margin of IDB Annual Meeting, a High Level Seminar level of awareness about SDGs. The results of the survey are was organized where Minister from Indonesia, Jordan and discussed in the article published in the Digest. Cote D’ivoire presented countries perspective and highlighted challenges in implementing 2030 Development Agenda. Dr. Jeffrey Number of posters and printed material have also been distributed Sachs, Director Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia to IDBG Staff to enhance their awareness about SDGs. Social University, USA, Media campaigns Dr. Mahmoud and electronic Mohiedin, and knowledge Special Envoy of repository platforms the World Bank are being used for President on creating awareness SDGs and Vice and making President, Sector available reference Operations of IDB documents and provided viewpoint material on SDGs for of development benefit of the staff.

Upcoming Event to be held on Wednesday, 13 CONTACTS September 2017: Staff interested to join CoP on SDGs can "Mainstreaming SDGs in to IDB Group Activities", contact on Email given below : 1:30 – 03:30 PM (Glass Room- 2nd Floor IDB Main Building) sdgscop@isdb.org @SDGs_IDBG

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