Using Digital Technology to Improve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Delivery

BRISBANE, Australia - Aug. 27, 2019 - PRLog -- The United Nation's SDGs present an array of complex social, engineering, medical, scientific and managerial challenges for member states set in different contexts and mostly requiring very significant investment, organisational capacity and community involvement. Nations have made commitments to this agenda and it is accepted as guiding the key purposes of international development work worldwide. It is a hugely ambitious enterprise yet we suggest that current development work could be more successful.

At a general level perhaps the greatest challenge is the creation of a learning system that is powerful enough to develop and distribute relevant knowledge and an understanding of how that knowledge can be best applied in the very different circumstances that exist across the world. As SDG performance criteria are finalised and adopted a report by ESCAP makes it clear just how difficult it is going to be to make a real difference.

The authors are not suggesting a great deal of organisation or the need for technological innovation to create this necessary learning system. The basis of this networking would be a digital communication system that would be largely self-driven by those in the field and a support network that will evolve around them. This approach could be developed on a local, national, regional and worldwide basis.

Key aspects of this digital communication system are set out in an article co-authored by David Fellows and Glyn Evans published today by PFMConnect at http://blog-pfmconnect.com/using-digital-technology-to-improve-sustainable-development-goal-sdg-delivery/.

It is suggested that it is time to experiment with cultural change in the way programmes and projects are developed. The basis of this would be a more inclusive approach at expert and community level. Major international development agencies could help by requiring the incorporation of these ideas into project design proposals, for instance, proposals relating to the Green Climate Fund.

Notes:

1.          David Fellows is a specialist in public financial management and digital government reform and is a director of PFMConnect Limited. He is a recipient of the Swedish Prize for Democratic Digital Service Delivery. Glyn Evans is the Vice President of the Major Cities of Europe IT Users Group and former CIO of various major cities.

2.          PFMConnect Limited is a consultancy that supports the development of good standards of public financial management in order to improve public service delivery, extend public accountability, encourage local business development and combat corruption. Its work is principally centred on developing countries, working in cooperation with governments and other stakeholders.