Press Release

Joint work key for boosting quality of life for all people in North Macedonia

20 February 2023

Joint efforts by the Government, UN and partners are crucial for achieving sustainable results that will improve the quality of life of all people living in North Macedonia. This was the main conclusion of today’s Joint Steering Committee meeting of the United Nations and national institutions, which was dedicated to reviewing the implementation of the UN-Government 2021-2025 Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (SDCF).

The members of the Joint Steering Committee discussed the 2022 UN annual results, the opportunities and challenges facing the country, and endorsed the 2023 Joint Workplans.

“Only with joint efforts we can protect humanity and nature, especially if we are committed to the achievement of Agenda 2030, nationally and globally. Full implementation of the Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework is the pathway towards achieving tangible change for people in North Macedonia, resulting in better legal, more efficient and more responsible institutions and greater future for everyone”, said Fatmire Isaki, Deputy Minister of foreign Affairs.

SDCF is a key strategic document that guides the work of UN in North Macedonia and represents the UN development system’s collective offer to support the country in achieving sustainable development goals. To ensure that it reflects the interest and priorities of all people in the country, the SDCF has been developed through a participatory and consultative process, starting with the analysis of the country’s development context, strategic prioritization and its operationalization through annual workplans of UN entities and stakeholders.

“The context has evolved significantly since SDCF’s inception in 2020. COVID-19 and its immediate and long-term socio-economic impact, followed by the current energy, food security and finance crises – all shaped by the war in Ukraine – have put a significant strain on the Government to continue prioritizing reform processes and structural changes as the fiscal space has been shrinking and vulnerabilities increasing,” says Rossana Dudziak, UN Resident Coordinator in North Macedonia. “Targeted and focused expert advice and support, underpinned by the focus on leaving no one behind will remain the key pinnacle of UN work in North Macedonia in 2023 and beyond.”

The 2021-2025 UN SDCF also reflects the UN Secretary General’s plea for accelerated action to implement Agenda 2030 through a Decade of Action.