Finland discusses the 2030 Agenda and the role of business in it

Photo: Maailma kylässä

The follow-up report of Government´s achievements in implementing the Agenda 2030 was published last weekend at World Village Festival in Helsinki. The report was prepared by ten Finnish organisations (The Finnish League for Human Rights, Kepa, Save the Children Finland, Plan International Finland, The Finnish Blue Ribbon, SOSTE Finnish Federation for Social Affairs and Health, The Finnish Association for Nature Conservation, Finnish Olympic Committee, Finnish Red Cross and WWF Finland), with each being responsible for its respective area of expertise. Oth­er organisations have also contributed to the report.

Representatives of the CSOs handed over the reports to the Minister of Foreign Trade and Development Kai Mykkänen and Minister for Housing, Energy and Environment Kimmo Tiilikainen. After the ceremony a lively panel discussion together with representatives of different parliamentary parties was held. The amount of ODA -funding started a vivid debate.  The cuts made from CSO funding were seen especially problematic.  Minister Mykkänen made a promise to increase the ODA-funding after the huge cuts the current Government made at the beginning of its term of office.

The role of the private sector was seen differently between the politicians: Representatives of the Government emphasized its importance whereas the opposition saw also problems in concentrating to the business co-operation. The importance of goal 5, equality, was emphasized by all participants. “It is important to encourage women to entrepreneurship and advocacy,” urged State Secretary Samuli Virtanen.

The follow-up report examines the current state of the im­plementation of sustainable development in Finland and provides Finnish decision-makers with concrete tools for achieving the goals for sustainable development. The re­port includes policy recommendations for global policies, national decision-making and work at the level of munici­palities and regions. The report will be published in English at the HLPF, as part of the inter­national Social Watch network’s Spotlight series of reports.

News about the panel discussion available here and about the publication of the report here (in Finnish).

By Anna-Stiina Lundqvist, Kepa.

Source: Kepa.