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The full realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) depends on a common understanding of the basic principles of effective governance for sustainable development. Adherence to these tenets of governance underpins progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as the manner in which we deal with the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Achieving SDG 16 would reduce the chances that future situations turn into crises, and when such crises do occur, that their impact will be mitigated. This would be due not least to strengthened institutional capacity to foresee and reduce risks, as well as respond quickly and effectively to emerging threats to public well-being. While COVID-19 response and recovery will absorb resources and may turn attention away from realizing the SDGs, we must not lose sight of the fact that delivering the SDGs will help us to get a better handle on global threats that may await. Strong institutions for sustainable development are crucial to these efforts.
The UN CEPA principles of effective governance are grounded in effectiveness, accountability and inclusion. In the spirit of SDG 16, and as COVID-19 starkly shows, inclusion is crucial. There must be a focus especially on the needs of the most vulnerable and furthest behind, particularly women and children, as well as Planet Earth, whose development conditions the future of humankind. This calls for major changes in governance, in the spirit of multilateralism and solidarity, and in resource allocation towards sustainable development goals, a matter that may be more difficult as countries deal with domestic responses to COVID-19.
Importantly, governments must recalibrate budgets that may have been channeled disproportionately to the top 10 per cent of the world's population and towards purposes contributing to the perpetuation of endless wars. The reality of COVID-19 calls for a review of public finances and particularly allocations to health budgets, as well as the need to revisit education and training. SDG 16 and the role of the state have grown in importance, yet again, with the hope that it is not a passing fancy linked to stimulus packages for the here and now.
In the period between the 18th session in April 2019 and 19th session of the Committee in May 2020, CEPA members and the Secretariat have been working with governments, regional organizations and UN system entities to promote operationalization of the principles of effective governance. One concrete output of a joint UN DESA-African Union workshop, which took place in Pretoria from 30 October to 1 November 2019, has been the initial development of a monitoring and evaluation tool for Africa which is built on the principles. This tool could constitute a baseline for the region. At the invitation of OECD, the Committee also commented on a draft policy framework on sound public governance with a view to promoting coherence between the global and the regional levels, strengthening the linkages with the SDGs and addressing both governance successes and governance failures.
Importantly, CEPA has identified 62 strategies, each associated with one of the 11 principles of effective governance. The process of coordinating the preparation of the technical guidance notes on these strategies for use by government advisers and practitioners is underway, based on global expert advice. Five of have been prepared as early drafts for comment and are available as inputs to the 19th session.
On 15 May 2020, during the virtual 19th session, the Committee will follow up its intersessional work by examining four main questions:
• Given the ongoing cooperation with the APRM and OECD, taking into account different regional needs and mechanisms, what specific opportunities are there for collaborating with regional organizations going forward?
• What data and indicators are needed to support the Committee’s analytical work and policy advice on effective governance for sustainable development?
• Are there any specific observations on the relevance and utility of the strategy guidance notes to government advisers and practitioners? Do the early draft notes and overall framework provide a sufficient proof of concept for further work?
• Does the COVID-19 pandemic change anything where operationalization of the principles is concerned?
We are living through a challenging time and as Francis Fukuyama says: “The crucial determinant in performance will not be the type of regime, but the state’s capacity and, above all, trust in government.” We engage as a Committee of Experts with the view that this trust in government is realized through the implementation of the governance principles.
Ms. Geraldine Fraser-Moleketi and Mr. Geert Bouckaert, members of the Committee of Experts on Public Administration