PROGRESS TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF IPoA AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

PROGRESS TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION OF IPoA AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs) THE CASE OF LESOTHO Accelerating the Implementation of IPoA for LDCs Dakar, Senegal 28 February 2017

Contents 1. Introduction 2. Progress towards IPoA 3. Challenges of IPoA Implementation 4. SDGs implementation 5. Linking National Goals with IPoA and SDGs 6. Next Steps 15/03/2017 1

1. Introduction  National goals in Lesotho are developed to address Internationally and regionally agreed development agendas such as SDGs, IPoA, Agenda2063, SADC RISDP e.t.c.  Following the adoption of the IPoA by the LDCs in 2011, Lesotho completed its 5year medium term strategy, the National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 12/13 – 2016/17). This was an opportunity for the country to integrate the IPoA into the NSDP, therefore, NSDP strategic goals were developed in line with the eight IPoA priorities.  Lesotho has a long term plan, the National Vision 2020 which the Medium term plan also implements. The national vision is that: “ By the year 2020 Lesotho shall be a stable democracy, a united and prosperous nation at peace with itself and its neighbors. It shall have a healthy and well-developed human resource base. Its economy will be strong, its environment well managed and its technology well established. ” 15/03/2017 2

Introduction…  National Strategic Development Plan (NSDP) 2012/13 – 2016/17 goals are the following: (i) Create high, shared and employment generating growth; (ii) Develop key infrastructure; (iii) Enhance skills base, technology adoption and foundation for innovation; (iv) Improve health, combat HIV and AIDS and reduce vulnerability; (v) Reverse environmental degradation and adapt to climate change; (vi) Promote peace, Democratic governance and effective institutions 15/03/2017 3

2. Progress towards the IPoA  The GNI per Capita stands at $1,374.00. This is above the graduation threshold of $1,242 but far below the income only graduation threshold. The country ’ s GNI per capita is lower than the LDCs average of $1, 436.  The country has been working at driving sustainable economic growth through a private sector led employment creation. This means facilitating private investments in the main employment creating productive sectors such as commercial agriculture, mining, manufacturing and services sectors such as tourism and construction . 15/03/2017 4

Progress towards the IPoA…  The country’s Human Assets Index (HAI) was 62.9. This is below the target but higher than the LDCs average of 51.5. The human asset index reflects performance in the reduction of under – five mortality rate and percentage of population undernourished. It also shows our performance related to increasing the adult literacy rate and gross secondary school enrolment ratio.  Enrolment rates in secondary schools have been increasing over the years. The total net enrolment rate has increased from 34.2 percent in 2010 to 37.3 percent in 2013. Despite an upward trend in secondary school NER, the rate of increase, however, remains low. This low rate of increase is associated with factors such as unaffordable fees by most poor families as bursaries are only provided to Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVCs). 15/03/2017 5

Progress towards the IPoA…  There has been a decrease in under-five Mortality rate from 117 recorded in 2009 to 85 deaths per 1,000 live births in 2014(LDHS:2014). U5 mortality rate was reduced through improved access to emergency obstetric care service; engagement of skilled health/birth attendants at all health centres; scaling up reproductive health education including promotion of family planning services and essential nutrition packages for pregnant and lactating mothers.  Economic Vulnerability Index (EVI) is at 42.9 which is higher than the graduation threshold of 32 or below. This shows that the country is vulnerable to natural and other economic shocks. 15/03/2017 6

Progress towards the IPoA…  Majority of Basotho still derive their livelihoods from agriculture which has been negatively affected by the impacts of climate change. Crop production is largely rain – fed and since Lesotho is susceptible to extreme weather variability, including prolonged drought, floods, early and late frosts, agricultural production is highly erratic. Climate Change also affects livestock productivity through the deterioration of the already fragile rangelands and increases the risk of animal diseases.  Building resilience to climate change is necessary to ensure the long term security of agricultural production.  Trade in Lesotho is characterized by high transportation costs and other related challenges faced by landlocked countries. Remoteness, owing to it being landlocked, limits economic diversification thereby reducing the ability of the country to respond to trade shocks. 15/03/2017 7

Progress towards the IPoA…  As a landlocked LDC, Lesotho ’ s external trade depends on South African facilities, therefore, trade facilitation is crucial for ease of moving exports to their final destination. The country is therefore working towards customs modernization and has so far managed to harmonize and simplify customs rules and procedures including development of a model customs law and single administrative document. 15/03/2017 8

3. Challenges of IPoA Implementation Several challenges have been met in Lesotho when implementing the IPoA. The country faced challenges such as:  Limited financial resources for implementation of the IPoA  Environmental challenges – Prolonged droughts followed by floods that hit the region affected Lesotho because some of the priorities had to be put on hold while priority was put on people to access food and other necessities such as healthcare.  Lack of coordination – No proper institutional arrangements in place for implementation of the IPoA  Reporting challenges - Insufficient data for reporting; No implementation framework 15/03/2017 9

4. SDGs Implementation  The government of Lesotho is working in collaboration with various stakeholders and the United Nations Country Team (UNCT) to localize and resume implementation of the SDGs.  An SDG implementation road map has already been developed and approved by cabinet;  SDGs have been integrated into the national planning and budgeting process: Budget Framework Papers.  Stakeholder sensitization forums have been held for all stakeholders at both central and district level including the Cabinet, Senate, Government Officials, District level multi-stakeholder sensitization held in all the 10 districts.  A mapping exercise has been done at goal level to show the convergence between the NSDP goals, IPoA priority areas, SDGs and Agenda 2063 (illustration below) 15/03/2017 10

5. Linking National Goals with IPoA and SDGs NSDP Goals IPoA Priority Areas SDGs Agenda 2063 Pursue high, shared and employment Trade; Agriculture, Food Security and SDG 1, 2, 6, 9 ,12 & Goal 1, 4, 5, 7, 8 & 19 creating employment growth Rural Development; Commodities 17 Development of key Infrastructure Productive Capacity SDG 2, 7, 8, 9 & 17 Goal 1, 4, 6, 7 & 10 Enhance the skills base, technology Human and Social Development SDG 4, 5 & 8 Goal 1, 2 & 17 adoption and foundation for innovation Improve health, combat HIV and AIDS and Human and social development SDG 2, 3 & 5 Goal 3 reduce vulnerability Reverse environmental degradation and Multiple Crisis and other emerging SDG 10, 16 & 17 Goal 5 & 7 adapt to climate change challenges Promote peace, democratic governance Good governance at all levels SDG 16 Goal 11 & 12 15/03/2017 11

6. Next Steps  The current NSDP, through which we have been implementing the IPoA, is coming to an end and preparations towards development of its successor have begun.  Preparations towards development of the next NSDP started with a review of the current NSDP. The review process entailed an assessment of what was achieved in terms of specific outputs that were planned for NSDP implementation; identification and analysis of the challenges met during the implementation period of the plan.  Recommendations of the review will be a critical in-put towards development of the next NSDP and how to accelerate progress towards IPoA goals.  Carry out the Rapid Integrated Assessment with of assistance UNDP to link National goals and SDGs also at indicator level  Address the challenges met in the first five years of implementation: Mobilize domestic financial resources; establish institutional arrangements for implementation and develop an implementation framework to track implementation progress  Mainstream IPoA and SDGs into the next NSDP which will begin 2018/19 15/03/2017 12

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