Parliament and Development Partners Gather for the Agenda 2030 Conference

The two-day international conference brought together members of parliament and representatives of government, international organizations, civil society, academia and the private sector.

The event was opened by Sopho Kiladze, Chair of the Human Rights and Civil Integration Committee; Irakli Kobakhidze, Georgian Parliament Speaker; Mikheil Janelidze, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Georgia;  Levan Izoria, Minister of Defence of Georgia; Martin Chungong, Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Secretary General; Niels Scott, UN Resident Coordinator in Georgia; and Daniel Haas, Head of South Caucasus Development Cooperation Office of the German Embassy.

“UN Sustainable development agenda is highly familiar for the Georgian society today and practically it does not differ from the domestic political discourse of the country – healthcare improvement, eradicating poverty, gender equality, employment and economic development, improvement of infrastructure and innovations, sustainable development of the regions through decentralization, restoration of peace and justice in the country and region and international cooperation – which are the most resonant and relevant issues for the Government and society”,  Irakli Kobakhidze, Speaker of the Georgian Parliament   said. “Let me assure you that the Parliament of Georgia and the Government will remain loyal to the principles of sustainable development”.

The Foreign Minister of Georgia, Mikheil Janelidze addressed the attendees, emphasizing importance of sustainable development goals. The transparency and responsibility of the institutions serve the basis for successful activity of the Government. “Successful implementation of the 16th goal is the top priority for Georgia. This goal envisages establishment of effective, accountable and inclusive institutions on all levels”.

 “This conference provides a welcomed opportunity to engage in ambitious but also practical discussions on how to achieve the 2030 Agenda, for which we all are stakeholders. It is especially encouraging to see the parliament’s engagement in this endeavor,” Niels Scott, UN Resident Coordinator  in Georgia, said.

The two-day conference focused on a range of issues related to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. This includes intersection of the human rights and sustainable development, creating synergies and networks for sustainable development, involvement of Government, Parliament, academia, civil society, businesses and citizens in the implementation process, and the practical steps for making the progress to SDGs.

The UN has been requested to support one of the sessions, entitled “Creating synergies and networks - the possibilities of multi-stakeholder cooperation at the international level to support the immediate implementation of sustainable development goals”.

The conference  served as a good platform for participants from various countries and backgrounds to share their experience in implementing 2030 Agenda and discuss the current state, challenges and advancements related to the implementation process.

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