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In 2020, like every other region worldwide, the Arab region has had to contend with an unexpected challenge - the COVID-19 pandemic. However, unlike most other regions, the pandemic has exacerbated numerous pre-existing crises, and its impact is likely be felt for many years to come. Protracted conflict has reversed decades of development gains for many Arab countries, including Iraq, Libya, Somalia, the Syrian Arab Republic and Yemen. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in these countries has become more challenging. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development appears beyond reach for the State of Palestine, primarily owing to the Israeli occupation. The same applies to Lebanon, where a series of crises continue to hold the country far below its development potential. While most other regions worldwide have suffered from the economic consequences of the pandemic, Arab oil-exporting countries have been gravely affected by the significant decline in oil prices in early 2020 and their continuing volatility. The pandemic has also badly impacted Arab middle-income countries (MICs) that are dependent on tourism and remittances, both of which have witnessed a devastating decline. Arab least developed countries (LDCs) have not been spared the impact of the pandemic, given their already tight fiscal space and inability to fund COVID-19 response strategies commensurate with the magnitude and impact of the pandemic.

In 2018, Member States agreed to a vision for a stronger development coordination function to respond to the paradigm shift ushered in by the 2030 Agenda. Three years later, the implementation of that vision for a reinvigorated Resident Coordinator (RC) system, alongside a new generation of UN Country Teams (UNCTs), is proving its value. Under stronger and more impartial leadership at all levels, the UN development system (UNDS) approached the COVID-19 crisis in emergency mode with a commitment to recovering better and delivering the SDGs during this Decade of Action. To view the interactive version of the report, visit the 2021 UNSDG Chair Report on DCO online report. The official document is also available. 

2019 was a watershed year for the UN development system. It was the first full year of efforts to fundamentally transform the system under the reform set in motion by the Member States in 2018. The reform aimed to shift the UN development system towards a more integrated, effective and efficient approach to support countries’ progress for the 2030 Agenda, led by a newly reinvigorated Resident Coordinator system. Over the course of 2019, such a shift has been visible. And the Delivering Together Facility (DTF) has played its part in it.

The new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (Cooperation Framework) sits at the centre of the reforms. It is the most important planning and implementation instrument for UN development activities within countries, translating the vision of Member States into UN actions and impacts on the ground. It heightens the ambition of the UN development system, and makes it more agile and equipped to achieve the transformative results that countries now demand. This brief provides a snapshot of the Cooperation Framework, summarizing the importance and key changes of the new Framework. Related resources:  Cooperation Framework Guidance Foundational Primer on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Primer on the Sustainable Development Goals Summary Booklet Foundational Primer on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development eCourse Cooperation Framework Implementation
   

Based on the Foundational Primer on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development prepared by the United Nations, this summary booklet presents ideas to inspire the work of all parts of governments and societies in the quest for inclusive and sustainable development. Related resources Foundational Primer on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Foundational Primer on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development eCourse Cooperation Framework Guidance In Brief: United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Cooperation Framework Implementation

This SDG Primer aims to establish a common base of understanding and approach for the UN system in supporting the 2030 Agenda. It is primarily meant to inform, in broad terms, the programmes and actions of all UN entities, including their engagement with government and civil society partners Related resources Primer on the Sustainable Development Goals Summary Booklet Foundational Primer on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development eCourse Cooperation Framework Guidance In Brief: United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Cooperation Framework Implementation

The Consolidated Annexes to the Cooperation Framework Guidance are intended for UN country teams as they develop and implement the Cooperation Framework. The annexes include: An outline of the roadmap, to help plan the development the Cooperation Framework; An outline of the Common Country Assessment (CCA), indicating the elements a CCA should cover; An outline of the Cooperation Framework, providing a structure of the document which will be signed jointly with the Government; Guidance on the Legal Annex of the Cooperation Framework Instructions for Integrating Programme and Risk Management Clauses into the Cooperation Framework.

General Assembly resolution 72/279 elevates the United Nations Development Assistance Framework (now renamed the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework) as “the most important instrument for planning and implementation of the UN development activities at country level in support of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda).” Given the ambition of the 2030 Agenda and the urgency of its timeline, the resolution represents a significant shift. The Cooperation Framework now guides the entire programme cycle, driving planning, implementation, monitoring, reporting and evaluation of collective UN support for achieving the 2030 Agenda. The Cooperation Framework determines and reflects the UN development system’s contributions in the country and shapes the configuration of UN assets required inside and outside the country.   Related resources Foundational Primer on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Primer on the Sustainable Development Goals Summary Booklet Foundational Primer on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development eCourse In Brief: United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Cooperation Framework Implementation