Welcome to the United Nations
Introduction
The World Bank Group (WBG) submits the following input on the steps our institution is taking to support the implementation of the SDGs, to be considered for the 2017 High Level Political Forum (HLPF) and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This document reflects on the institution’s strategic direction, in line with the 2030 Agenda, and the three pillars of support through financing, data and implementation. It also reflects on efforts to support the delivery of the SDGs set to be reviewed at the 2017 HLPF, including SDG 1, 2, 3, 5, 9 and 14. Finally, the annex to this document reviews support provided to the SDGs that are not featured in the 2017 review but are nonetheless critical for the delivery of the whole 2030 Agenda.
The WBG has set two goals for the world to achieve by 2030: (i) Ending extreme poverty and (ii) Promoting shared prosperity. These goals need to be pursued within a sustainable environment, socially, economically and environmentally. We will help achieve these two goals in three ways: first by promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth, especially through creating jobs and boosting private investment in infrastructure; second by investing in human capital including childhood development, skills for jobs, and equal opportunities in education, health, and training that can make the biggest differences in countries’ ability to grow sustainably for long periods at a time and compete, and; finally, by fostering resilience to global shocks and threats, by ramping up efforts to tackle the global challenges threatening to roll back development gains, supporting resilience infrastructure and investing in disaster risk preparedness.
These goals and our ambition align with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The WBG goal of ending extreme poverty (reducing the share of the global population living in extreme poverty to 3 percent by the year 2030) is directly contributing to SDG 1 (Ending poverty in all its forms everywhere) and contributes to the 2030 Agenda across several complementary and mutually reinforcing aspects. The WBG goal of boosting shared prosperity (defined as increasing the income of the bottom 40 percent of the population in each country) is also expected to contribute to - and be driven by - progress in several of the SDGs, spanning from quality education (SDG 4) to reduced inequalities (SDG 10) and taking action to combat climate change (SDG 13).
In addition, the WBG’s organizational structure is composed of Global Practices (GPs) and Cross-Cutting Solution Areas (CCSAs) which match the 17 SDGs almost one to one. The structure also supports country ownership and focuses on SDG-centered policies and institutions backed by effective leadership. Within this structure, the WBG is working along several tracks to support the 2030 Agenda: (i) financing; (ii) data, and (iii) implementation.
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