Goal 17 of the 2030 Agenda declares multi-stakeholder partnerships to be the key implementation mechanism that brings together the different interests and competencies of various actors right from the outset in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals under their joint responsibility.
Networks can make many different contributions to implementation of the 2030 Agenda, for example through advocacy and agenda-setting, joint learning and knowledge-sharing, coordination services between different actors on the same topic, dialogues between a variety of actors with conflicting interests, or through the setting of standards and certification.
In all cases, it is important that the member group decides on a clear objective for its cooperation within the network, and that members develop suitable types of work together. Networks are suitable platforms in all cases where flexible and voluntary cooperation on equal terms among an often large number of actors appears particularly promising. Goal 17 names networks as one of the means of implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The goals of the 2030 Agenda are extensive and ambitious. Scaling up successful approaches leads to broad impact. However, this is only possible if thought is given to scaling up right from the start, and the partner assumes ownership of this process.
Global approaches that are used in global projects and programmes, multi-country approaches and in the direct provision of advisory services to our commissioning parties and clients (sector projects/programmes) are often particularly suitable for addressing the implementation principles of the 2030 Agenda. The principle of universality, for instance (i.e. cooperation between developing countries, emerging economies and industrialised countries), is frequently reflected in the design of global projects and programmes. The topics they address are often geared towards integrated responses to various challenges that cover several of the SDGs. The involvement of different stakeholders such as governments, businesses, civil-society groups, citizens, and the academic and research community strengthens the sense of shared responsibility.
In order to achieve the SDGs, the 2030 Agenda relies on cooperation between a variety of actors and points out the importance of integrated approaches. The approaches designed to solve the various challenges are complex, as are the cooperation arrangements that develop the approaches. Capacity WORKS offers success factors and tools for managing these complex cooperation projects.
In order to realise the objectives of the 2030 Agenda, we need competent people who can drive and design sustainable change processes. We advise our partners on their strategic competence development (human capacity development) so that individuals can develop their personal and technical/professional skills, organisations can offer continuing training courses in the long term, and networks can facilitate sustainable learning and innovation within society.
Implementation of the 2030 Agenda calls for knowledge, but also skills and a willingness to change, as well as the recognition of the work performed by other stakeholders and the readiness to work with them. The exchange of experience on an equal footing in all these fields is of crucial importance for implementing the 2030 Agenda in order to heighten the awareness of the problems to be tackled, to highlight existing solutions and develop new, shared solutions.
Knowledge-sharing takes place at individual events, in networks and projects, and within and between organisations and societies. It expands the knowledge, skills and mindsets of individuals, helps to develop new processes and standards within organisations and supports consensus-finding and collaboration among different societal actors. Goal 17 names knowledge-sharing as one of the means of implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
Information and communication technology (ICT) may play a key role in achieving the SDGs as part of the 2030 Agenda. Although ICT is only explicitly named in four targets (education; gender; infrastructure, industrialisation and innovation; partnerships), it offers specific and innovative solutions for many different fields and therefore plays an essential role as means of achieving all 17 SDGs. The follow-on process of the two-phase World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) constitutes the policy framework for linking up the SDGs and ICT.
Many different solutions are available for achieving the individual SDGs, and they depend heavily on the context and nature of the measure concerned. ICT will also play a prominent role when it comes to coordinating the 2030 Agenda and the evaluation of the goals and targets. Digital applications create networks and communication within organisations and in cooperation with other actors. ICT offers innovative pathways for enabling participation, inclusion and transparency. New digital infrastructure will have to be put in place to examine goal achievement. This infrastructure enables comparisons to be made, evidence-based decisions to be taken and, ideally, also facilitates flexible action. The multitude of possibilities that ICT offers for the 2030 Agenda does, however, call for creative approaches so that existing and new technologies can become part of this new age of development cooperation.
The 2030 Agenda addresses a vast array of global challenges. In this context, funds are particularly suitable for achieving the SDGs since they can be used flexibly in response to demand so as to react to needs in local settings. This method makes it possible to provide experts, materials and equipment and financing via several individual measures. Implementation partners contribute their own project ideas and can put these into practice autonomously. In this way, funds strengthen ownership by partners and thus contribute to the sustainable implementation and impact of the SDGs.