WASHINGTON, May 18, 2018 - The United Nations and the World Bank Group today signed a Strategic Partnership Framework (SPF), which consolidates their joint commitment to cooperate in helping countries implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Signed by UN Secretary-General António Guterres and World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, the SPF includes four key areas of cooperation: finance and implementation support to help countries reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); decisive global action on climate change; joint work in post-crisis and humanitarian settings; and harnessing data to improve development outcomes.
Building on successful past and ongoing collaborations between the UN and the World Bank Group, the SPF commits the two institutions to work together to help countries achieve measurable results at scale to transform their economies and societies. SPF initiatives will focus on, but will not be limited to:
- Mobilizing increased and better finance from all sources -- including through domestic resources, and helping countries attract and manage private capital;
- Improving implementation capacity to achieve the SDGs, particularly at the national and local levels;
- Promoting joint action and investments to improve infrastructure and build human capital (including education and health);
- Convening governments, financial institutions, private investors, and development banks to mobilize, coordinate, and deliver financing to help countries make the transition to a low-carbon, resilient future;
- Strengthening collaboration and joint action in post-crisis and humanitarian settings to build resilience for the most vulnerable people -- including women and girls, reduce poverty and inequality, enhance food security, prevent conflict, and sustain peace;
- Improving national statistical systems and enhancing countries’ digital data capacities to improve implementation and maximize positive development impacts, and;
- Expanding and deepening partnerships in policy development and advocacy, joint analysis and assessments, and program design and delivery.
The Strategic Partnership Framework recognises the existing mandates, strategies, and programs that each institution has in place, and their distinct capabilities and expertise to deliver on their responsibilities to Member States and shareholders. Technical teams of the United Nations and the World Bank Group will work together to ensure effective implementation of commitments assumed under the SPF. The leadership of the United Nations system and the World Bank Group will meet annually to review the partnership and take stock of results achieved.
