Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal and UNDP Resident Representative to Ukraine Dafina Gercheva agree to establish an advisory unit on implementing the Sustainable Development Goals

Kyiv, 3 July 2020 – Ukraine intends to achieve all 169 targets outlined in the 17 goals of Agenda 2030, and will establish a SDG policy advisory unit with the UN Development Programme to ensure continued progress over the next ten years, according to a statement issued today by UNDP and Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal.

The SDGs, also known as the Global Goals, provide a blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for everyone, everywhere, leaving no one behind, by the year 2030. They address a broad spectrum of global challenges, including those related to poverty, inequality, climate change, environmental degradation, peace and justice.

Shmyhal said the new advisory unit will be established under the Secretariat of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine.  “We take the Global Goals very seriously and intend to move forward on all of them, despite the current challenges,” he said. “The Government highly appreciates the long history of support from UNDP and looks forward to further cooperation over the next ten years as we implement and achieve our SDG strategy.”

Gercheva said the SDGs provide a framework for dealing with the current crisis, as well as way to safeguard the country against future disasters.  “Natural disasters and pandemics can only happen when a country is unprepared”, she said. “When we reduce risk and increase resilience through frameworks like the SDGs, the country can quickly recover from an event and move forward.”

UNDP also recently developed a COVID-19 compound vulnerability dashboard developed and offered to jointly work further on this tool so that it can be used for informing the Government’s decision-making on its coronavirus response and recovery.

“UNDP stands ready to explore additional avenues for cooperation with the Government of Ukraine in building strong disaster risk management and response systems that will improve coordination between all responsible state actors and enhance their most critical capacities and skills,” Gercheva said.

“It is important to develop a multi-sectoral long-term COVID-19 response strategy, informed by the findings of the recent socio-economic impact assessment conducted by the UN system and based on both national experience and international best practice,” said Gercheva. “UNDP stands ready to further work with the Government of Ukraine on the development of this strategy, in close cooperation with all stakeholders.”

Media enquires: Yuliia Samus; UNDP in Ukraine Communication Officer yuliia.samus@undp.org, communications.ukraine@undp.org