Nepal’s efforts in the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) brought gains in many areas, like poverty reduction, health, and school enrollment, but other areas stalled as most of the investments made during the MDGs were aimed at improvements in the social sector. Because of this, a greater focus on infrastructure is needed to achieve the country’s commitments to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Nepal was among the first countries to produce a preliminary report on the SDGs in 2015. The nation performed that assessment before the 2030 Agenda had been formally adopted. In 2017, its leaders ran their first Voluntary National Review (VNR) of the country’s progress on the SDGs. The resulting report was the product of a rigorous six-month assessment that included participants from a broad array of sectors, including representatives of government institutions, the private sector, academia, and civil society.
Nepal has integrated the SDGs into its 14th national development plan, as well as its longer-term plan, Envisioning Nepal 2030. With those planning pieces in place, the country is now focused on delivering its commitments to the goals.