First regional forum “Strengthening of intersectoral cooperation for localization of Sustainable Development Goals and rural development” was held in Klichev

1 December 2019

The first regional forum “Strengthening intersectoral cooperation for localization of Sustainable Development Goals and rural development” was held on 26-27 November 2019 in Klichev.

The purpose of the forum was to present and analyze best practices and develop innovative approaches to strengthen intersectoral cooperation for the localization of sustainable development goals and rural development. The key Sustainable Development Goals of the forum are Goal 17 (partnership for sustainable development), Goal 8 (decent wages and economic growth), Goal 11 (sustainable cities and towns), Goal 4 (quality education), Goal 5 (gender equality), Goal 9 (industrialization, innovation and infrastructure), Goal 12 (responsible consumption and production).

The forum was attended by representatives of initiative groups, business community, non-profit and private organizations, government agencies, executive committees of Bykhovsky, Klichevsky, Krasnopolsky, Slavgorodsky and Cherikovsky districts of Mogilev region and other regions of the Republic of Belarus; expert community of national level; foreign and international organizations.

The forum participants were greeted by Viktor Rebkovets, Chairman of the Klichev District Executive Committee; Svetlana Yezerskaya, Chairwoman of the Regional Council for Sustainable Development and Chairwoman of the Slavgorod District Council of Deputies; and Sergey Tarasyuk, Director of the International Fund for Rural Development.

The main topics of the forum were conditions for strengthening cooperation between local authorities, the public, and businesses to increase employment and self-employment and sustainable transition from occasional initiative to permanent business activity at the local level. The participants also discussed experience, approaches and innovations in establishing and strengthening partnerships and cooperation of local authorities, initiatives and businesses both at the district and inter-district levels, as well as their interaction with partners at the regional, national and international levels to enhance the sustainability of local development. The participants shared the experience of best practices and innovative approaches aimed at strengthening intersectoral cooperation for localization of Sustainable Development Goals and rural development. The following studies, practices and approaches were presented:

• Approaches to improving employment in rural areas of the Mogilev region based on the experience of the “Networking” project. (Martinovich Irina Mikhailovna, coordinator of the project “Networking to improve employment opportunities in rural areas of Mogilev region”);
• Social and economic development of pilot districts and employment (Alexei V. Shadrakov, Head of the Mogilev Regional Centre for Social and Economic Research “NIEI of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Belarus”);
• Economics and employment: research results (Tatiana Chuyashova, entrepreneur, consultant);
• Territorial marketing, public participation and employment: research results (Eduard Churley, PhD in Economics, Associate Professor, expert of the Agency for Marketing Research and Sociological Expertise “SocioExpert”).
• The forum also featured discussions at the following thematic platforms: “Enhancing rural economic development in Belarus: the role of local authorities (based on the results of the EU project “Mayors for economic growth”) and “Energy, climate and green economy as key aspects of sustainable development at the local level” (Covenant of Mayors on Climate and Energy).

The following presentations were made during the session “Key aspects of cross-sectoral collaboration for employment and self-employment growth, enhancing sustainable local development and local contributions to sustainable development goals”:

• Approaches to strengthening intersectoral cooperation in the context of the concepts of national and regional (Mogilev) sustainable development strategies (A. Shadrakov, Research and Economic Institute of the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Belarus);
• SDGs achievement accelerators in the context of regional development (Minchenko N., UNDP/UNICEF/UNFPA Advisor on Sustainable Development Goals);
• Innovations to accelerate economic growth and create new jobs (N. Efremenko, coordinator of the EU project “Mayors for Economic Growth” in Belarus);
• Energy, climate and green economy as key aspects of sustainable development at the local level (Andreenko N., Project Manager, NGO “Eco-Partnership”);
• Continuing education for all is a success factor of intersectoral cooperation for localization of SDGs (S. Savelova, Deputy Head of the Coordination Center “Education for Sustainable Development” at the Belarusian State Pedagogical University, coordinator of the “Education” part of the Sustainable Development Partnership Group);  
• Gender Equality and Inclusion — Untapped Potential for Local Development (N.V. Ryabova, Consultant Coach on Organizational Development);
• Localization of the SDGs and innovations in local participatory development management (Lampert A.).
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During the discussions participants discussed what conditions at the local level are needed to strengthen cross-sectoral collaboration for employment and self-employment growth and sustainable development in rural areas.

The Forum concluded with a panel discussion “Growth Points and Prospects for Sustainable Local Development” and a round table “Experiences and Prospects for Implementing Projects to Achieve UNDP/GEF TFM Priorities”, during which participants identified key accelerators (growth points) of local development and approaches to their implementation for employment and self-employment growth and localization of Sustainable Development Goals, taking into account global, national and regional challenges and development priorities.

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