SDG Success Hinges On Effective Local Governance, IDB Official Says

(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 21. Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is impossible without the active participation of local authorities and the effective implementation of the SDGs at the city level, Paloma Silva de Anzorena, Lead Specialist, Housing and Urban Development Division, Climate Change and Sustainable Development Sector of the Inter-American Development Bank said, Trend reports.

She made the remark at a panel discussion titled““Financing Housing Needs in Cities: New Approaches to Social and Affordable Housing”” at WUF13 in Baku.

According to her, about 65% of the Sustainable Development Goals cannot be achieved without the participation of local authorities, which is why support for cities and regions is becoming one of the key areas of international cooperation.

She noted that one of the most effective tools for localizing the SDGs are Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs), which help cities assess progress, identify gaps, and coordinate collaboration among various entities.

Silva de Anzorena reported that as part of this work, support was provided to a number of cities in Asia and the Pacific region, including Surabaya in Indonesia, Ormoc in the Philippines, as well as Almaty and Astana in Kazakhstan.

According to her, VLRs not only improve data collection and analysis systems but also strengthen institutional coordination among local authorities, the academic community, civil society, and the private sector.

She also highlighted existing challenges, including a lack of high-quality local data, limited financial resources, and insufficient institutional capacity in a number of cities. The bank representative noted that special tools and technical assistance programs are being developed to address these challenges, including methodological guidelines for preparing VLRs. According to her, the next step should be to translate the results of local reviews into concrete investment projects and infrastructure initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life for the population.

Today marks the fifth day of WUF13 in Baku.

The first day included a ministerial meeting dedicated to the New Urban Agenda, a ministerial roundtable, assemblies for women and civil society, business sessions, and discussions on urban prosperity. An official ceremony marking the raising of the UN and Azerbaijani flags also took place.

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