External publications

Reforming international cooperation towards transformative change

Scholz, Imme / LI Yuefen / Paulo Esteves / Venkatachalam Anbumozhi
External Publications (2017)

published on G20 Insights March 15, 2017

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The 2030 Agenda constitutes a new basis for international cooperation between all countries, and it has the potential to fundamentally transform how countries cooperate with each other. The Agenda has not been designed to be implemented through development cooperation but to offer substantial guidance for the goals and implementation strategies of all policy fields that are relevant for sustainable development worldwide. The principles of the Agenda (universality, indivisibility, leave no one behind, participation, accountability) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) need to be recognized as guiding all policy fields, for both domestic and internationally-oriented policies, taking into account different national capacities, policies and priorities. As a consequence, all forms and forums of international cooperation must contribute to implement the 2030 Agenda, North-South cooperation as much as North-North, South-South and triangular cooperation. International finance and development institutions (bi-lateral and multilateral) must play an enabling role for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
SDGs 10 and 17 specify targets to be reached in order to make global economic governance and international cooperation fit for the 2030 Agenda. This policy brief makes specific recommendations on how to advance in the implementation of these targets.
The DWG acquired an overarching function that is underpinned by both a strategic commitment and leadership of Sherpas. The DWG should work hard to live up to the new task and review its composition and working methods e.g. with regard to other workstreams accordingly. It is of crucial importance that G20 delegations to the DWG include also representatives from those government departments that are responsible for the overall implementation of the 2030 Agenda in the G20 countries. Consideration should be given to highlight the new role of the group by giving it a new name like Sustainable Development Working Group (SDWG).