The Sustainable Development Goals adopted by the United Nations in September provide an expansive vision of what we can accomplish over the next 15 years. Unlike the previous global development agenda, they include goals for all countries, not just poor ones, and more consideration for protecting our planet. The language also emphasizes that the new goals are integrated and indivisible, something the authors explain as win-win cooperation among the social, economic and environmental domains.
Now that the new global agenda is officially launched with slick logos and celebrity endorsements, and as the cheers (and some boos) start to die down, it’s time to talk about the hard stuff: How do we actually operationalize an integrated development agenda?
To be more holistic and multisectoral in our efforts, we generally need to know three things: what to do, how to do it and how to pay for it. As a global community, we talk a lot about the former — professional and academic conversations about program models that combine technical interventions. The need for adequate financing is also discussed and is standard fare for journalists, activists and governments.
About the authors
Patrick Fine
Patrick Fine is an international development professional who has served in both the public and nonprofit sectors, including as CEO of FHI 360, as the vice president for compact operations at the Millennium Challenge Corporation, and as a career foreign service officer at USAID. He is currently a senior nonresident fellow at the Brookings Institution, serves on the board of trustees of Seed Global Health and is an elected trustee of the trust funds in the village where he lives.
Tricia Petruney
Tricia Petruney is a technical advisor for research utilization at FHI 360, where she supports governments, funders and implementers to improve evidence-informed decision making within global development policy and program design.
