Launch Report 2020 Table of Content Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 03 Objectives ............................................................................................................................. 04 Participant Categories ....................................................................................................... 04 Agenda ................................................................................................................................... 05 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 06 Introduction of SDSN Afghanistan and Welcome Speech ....................................... 07 E-Dialogue On A-SDGs ................................................................................................ 08 Tools and Mechanism to Support the Government of Afghanistan in SDGs Integration and Financing (I) ............................................................................................... 09 Tools and Mechanism to Support the Government of Afghanistan in SDGs Integration and Financing (II)............................................................................................... 10 Cross Sectoral Partnerships and Role of SDSN Afghanistan as a Network of Solutions Providers................................................................................................................ 10 How CSOs and Research Think Tanks can take part in A- SDGs monitoring and reporting? ................................................................................................................................ 11 Afghanistan’s Policy Instruments and A-SDGs (Integration, Alignments and Financing) ............................................................................................................................... 12 How universities can support the government of Afghanistan in public policy formulation, policy implementation and program design? ............................................ 13 The Launch Event ............................................................................................................... 15 Ali Ahmad Yousefi, Chair and Chancellor, SDSN Afghanistan and Kateb University .................................................................................................................................................. 15 H.E. Dr. Abas Basir, Minister, Ministry of Higher Education ....................................... 16 Launch Report Mohammad Shafi Sharifi, Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Kabul University .................................................................................................................................................... 17 Maria Cortes Puch, Vice-President, UN SDSN ............................................................... 18 2020 Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, President, UN SDSN ......................................................................... 19 Event Highlights .................................................................................................................... 20 SDSN Afghanistan Team ..................................................................................................... 21 United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN) ........... 22 Afghanistan Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN Afghanistan) .. 23 OBJECTIVES The event aims to achieve the following objectives: - To provide an overall and recent update on the work of SDSN Afghanistan - To discuss the roles of Afghan ministries, international community, CSOs, research thinks tanks and universities in achieving the SDGs and A-SDGs in Afghanistan INTRODUCTION - To explore potential areas of collaboration, cooperation On 17 December 2020, Afghanistan Sustainable and joint-initiatives among different SDG relevant Development Solutions Network (SDSN Afghanistan) stakeholders in Afghanistan and beyond in partnership with its host institution, Kateb University - To highlight the priorities and needs of different sectors in organized a half-day virtual event to officially launch relevance to achieving the SDGs and A-SDGs in Afghanistan the network. The official launch event was held with participants from different Afghan government ministries, international and national universities, private sector, non-for profit organizations, research institutions and civil society organizations. The event also hosted all members of SDSN Afghanistan’s leadership council members and representatives from United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network (UN SDSN). Public Sector Civil Society The event brought together different international and (Government) Organizations national participants from different sectors to update them on objectives, programs, current and future initiatives of SDSN Afghanistan as well as illustrating roles, partnerships and potential cooperation opportunities among relevant stakeholders of SDGs at national, regional and global scale. Private PARTICIPANT Practitioners Sectors and Experts This report provides an overview of the key topics discussed during the “E-dialogue on SDGs” panel and by the keynote CATEGORIES speakers and guest speakers at the virtual launch event of SDSN Afghanistan. Academia University (Universities and Higher Education Students and Institutions) Scholars SDSN Afghanistan Launch Report 3 SDSN Afghanistan Launch Report 4 The event wasAGENDA held in Kabul time, UTC/GMT + 4:30 hours. 1:00 p.m. Virtual Webinar Room Open EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The launch event was virtually commenced by Mr. Mohammad Wali Farhat, 1:15 – 1:30 p.m. Welcome and Introduction of SDSN Afghanistan: Network of Manager of SDSN Afghanistan who welcomed the speakers Wali Farhat, Network Manager of SDSN Afghanistan and participants in joining the Official Launch Event of SDSN Afghanistan and expressed his sincere appreciation and gratitude to colleagues at Kateb “E-Dialogue on A-SDGs” Session (1:30 – 2:30 p.m.) University, UN SDSN and SDSN Afghanistan who worked hard to make 1:30 – 1:40 p.m. Tools and Mechanism to Support the Government of Afghanistan in SDGs today’s event happen with success. The event was structured in two sections - an “E-dialogue on A-SDGs” session Integration and Financing, Ms. Naheed Sarabi, Policy Advisor, UNDP and the official launch. In the panel, experts from different sectors deliver Afghanistan, and Dr. Keith Shawe, SDG Integration Advisor, UNDP Afghanistan talks on the role of each sector in achieving the SDGs in Afghanistan. The 1:40 – 2:00 p.m. Cross Sectoral Partnerships and Role of SDSN Afghanistan as a Network of panel speakers were Ms. Naheed Sarabi, Policy Advisor at UNDP Afghanistan, Solutions Providers, Mr. Zia Shefaie, Co-Chair, SDSN Afghanistan, and Vice- Dr. Keith Shawe, SDG Integration Advisor at UNDP Afghanistan, Mr. Zia Chancellor for Admin and Finance, Kateb University Shefaie, Co-Chair of SDSN Afghanistan and Vice-Chancellor for Admin 2:00 – 2:10 p.m. How CSOs and Research Think Tanks can take part in A- SDGs monitoring and and Finance at Kateb University, Dr. Nishank Motwani, Deputy Director reporting, Dr. Nishank Motwani, Deputy Director, Afghanistan Research and at Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit (AREU), Mr. Naser Sidiqee, Evaluation Unit (AREU) Deputy Minister for Policy of Ministry of Finance, and Mr. Mirwais Nahzat, 2:10 – 2:20 p.m. Afghanistan’s Policy Instruments and A-SDGs (Integration, Alignments and Chief Operating Officer of Kardan University. The moderator for all sessions Financing), Mr. Naser Sidiqee, Deputy Minister of Finance for Policy, Ministry was Mr. Abdullah Alemi, Program Analyst of SDSN Afghanistan, and the co- moderator was Ms. Dorothea Struber, Network Manager of some of the of Finance Regional and National Networks of UN SDSN. 2:20 – 2:30 p.m. How universities can support the government of Afghanistan in public policy The launch event was then convened by opening remarks of Mr. Ali Ahmad formulation, policy implementation and program design, Mr. Mirwais Nahzat, Yousefi, Chair of SDSN Afghanistan and Chancellor of Kateb University as Chief Operating Officer, Kardan University well as speeches of Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, President of UN SDSN as keynote Q&A Session (2:20 – 2:30 p.m.) speaker, H.E. Abas Basir, Minister of Higher Education as chief guest speaker, Prof. Mohammad Shafi Sharifi, Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs of Break (2:30 – 2:40 p.m.) Kabul University and Ms. María Cortés Puch as guest speakers. All speakers welcomed the launch of SDSN Afghanistan and remarked the network as an Official Launch Session opportunity to achieving the Agenda of 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals in Afghanistan. 2:45 – 3:00 p.m. Opening Remark: Mr. Ali Ahmad Yousefi, Chair, SDSN Afghanistan, and Chancellor, Kateb University Speech of Guest Speakers (2:50 – 3:35 p.m.) 3:00 – 3:15 p.m. H.E. Dr. Abbas Basir, Minister of Higher Education 3:15 – 3:30 p.m. Prof. Shafi Sharifi, Vice-Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Kabul University 3:30 – 3:45 p.m. Ms. Maria Cortes-Puch, Vice President, UN SDSN Key Note Speaker 3:45 – 3:55 p.m. Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, President of UNSDN 3:55 – 4:00 p.m. Closing session E-DIALOGUE ON A-SDGS The panel discussion of “E-dialogues on SDGs” was attended by five expert panel speakers from different sectors who are as follows: INTRODUCTION OF SDSN AFGHANISTAN AND WELCOME SPEECH Ms. Naheed Sarabi talked upon three support dimensions