• Assessment of national progress of SDG mainstreaming suggests only 20% alignment 
• Says very limited horizontal accountability between various institutions when implementing SDGs
• Asserts need for strengthened technical competency in data sharing, management and analysis

Sri Lanka needs to do more for it to fulfil the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agenda by 2030, as efforts taken thus far are not sufficient to complete the targets within the given time frame, the Colombo-based think tank Institute of Policy Studies (IPS) pointed out. 

The country must be “meticulously” watchful on its assessment and efforts in development planning for the future, for which it is imperative to use the SDGs as a platform to rebuild the island nation’s development legacy. 
In Sri Lanka, the assessment of national progress of SDG mainstreaming by using baseline data of 35 SDG indicators suggests only 20 percent alignment of the SDGs. 

The IPS, in its latest State of the Economy report (2022), pointed out that although the necessary legal and institutional setting to implement the SDGs have been established, there is “very limited” horizontal accountability between various institutions. 

The Finance Ministry is the apex body that directs the implementation of a national development policy framework. However, the effectiveness of decision-making is compromised when the sustainability element of the SDGs are handled separately, the IPS said. 

Adding to the concerns is also the duplication of agencies, as it leads to inefficiencies, which is a serious concern for small economies such as Sri Lanka. The issue of duplication of work has been long pointed out by many but to date no firm measures have been taken to address the issue.

Further, the IPS noted the lack of reliable data.  “Most of the addressed strategies and targets in the Public Investment Programme (PIP) lacked clear numerical targets and this limits the monitoring and follow-up. The Census and Statistics Department is the national data repository of Sri Lanka. However, it does not compile all SDG-related data,” the IPS highlighted. 

The think tank stated that if Sri Lanka is to achieve the 2030 Agenda, efforts must be stepped up to strengthen technical competency in data sharing, management and analysis, which should be supported to improve development planning.  Sri Lanka’s Voluntary Review in 2018 identified the need for increased financing for SDG implementation. However, no such comprehensive assessment has been carried out on the investment requirements of SDG so far. 

IPS points

Given that the pledge is already made to realise the SDG by 2030, the IPS said Sri Lanka needs to introduce the necessary public reforms to achieve the target in the coming seven years. 

The SDGs support better technical analysis for public decision-making and facilitate the need for reliable data to facilitate robust decision-making, especially in developing countries. 

Given that the pledge is already made to realise the SDG by 2030, the IPS said Sri Lanka needs to introduce the necessary public reforms to achieve the target in the coming seven years. 

The SDGs support better technical analysis for public decision-making and facilitate the need for reliable data to facilitate robust decision-making, especially in developing countries.