Enhancing Key Competencies for the 2030 Agenda

“Humanity faces a stark and urgent choice: breakdown or breakthrough.” - UN Secretary-General António Guterres 

Established in 2015, the 2030 Agenda defines a plan of action towards sustainable development, devoting ourselves collectively to the pursuit of global development and cooperation. The COVID-19 pandemic served as a wakeup call for humanity to face the urgent need of renewed solidarity between current and future generations. It exposed human rights concerns and exacerbated deep fragilities and inequalities in societies, while amplifying the call for a profound systemic shift to a more sustainable economy that works for both people and the planet. 

 In September 2021, the Secretary-General shared his vision for the future of global cooperation through his “Common Agenda”, which calls for inclusive, networked and effective multilateralism   to get the world back on track on the accomplishment of the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals.      

Driven by this Common Agenda, the UN will accelerate its transformation through the “Quintet of Change”, focused on stronger capabilities for data, analysis and communications; innovation and digital transformation; strategic foresight; performance and results; and behavioural science.  

The UN organisations need to be capable of addressing the complex and interconnected challenges of our times, focusing on more system-wide solutions instead of single-issue responses. This need calls for a transformation in the methods and practices used by the UN system to be more relevant and effective on the offer of solutions for this century’s challenges.   

UNSSC has been designing capacity development measures to support the uptake of the Quintet of Change.  

These offerings include courses and tailor-made solutions in areas such as leadership, communication, partnerships, digital transformation, innovation, results-based management, data and evaluation, and foresight.  

In addition, in partnership with IE University, the UNSSC has designed an Executive Master in International Development.

What are the skills and competencies needed to allow the UN system and development actors to better incorporate the Quintet of Change into their work?  

On June 15, a panel of four UN experts discussed this, as well as other reflections related to the future of work in the UN. Watch the replay below:

Photo credit: © UNHCR/Agron Dragaj