Transforming Economies through Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs)

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Conference Room 12, UNHQ

EventCover

 

View the Morning Session Here (10:00am-1:00pm)

 

View the Afternoon Session Here (3:00pm-4:30pm)

 

View the Presentations:

Powerpoint:

Belarus

Dominican Republic

Colombia

Kyrgyzstan

UNICEF

Zambia I

Zambia II

Video:

Egypt

Belarus

 

BACKGROUND

Integrated national financing frameworks (INFFs) represent a holistic approach to mobilizing, allocating and managing financing for development to achieve national priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). They also aim to optimize resource utilisation, enhance transparency, and foster coherence in policymaking. Since the introduction of the INFF concept in the 2015 Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and subsequent development of global INFF guidance, over 80 countries have started to implement INFFs. Country experiences with INFFs demonstrate their transformative potential in diverse contexts and underscores the adaptability of INFFs to help governments address unique challenges while fostering synergies between different stakeholders, such as development partners, the private sector, civil society, and academia.

Global support for INFF implementation has also steadily increased, including through a project of the 13th tranche of the Development Account (DA13), implemented jointly by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA), United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Economic Commission for Europe (ECE), Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP). The $2.3 million DA project, “Towards Integrated National Financing Framework,” commenced in 2021, targeting over 10 countries and is due to conclude in 2024. This DA project has contributed to the broader efforts by the UN system to support countries in implementing INFFs, with support from the Joint SDG Fund, and Regular Programme of Technical Cooperation, and expanding to the G20 voluntary framework for support for INFFs. In 2022, the INFF Facility was set up to respond to the demand for support from countries developing INFFs. The Facility is a joint initiative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), UN DESA, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) and is supported by the European Union and the Governments of Italy and Sweden.

 

ABOUT THE EVENT

UNDESA, in collaboration with the five United Nations Regional Commissions and UNCTAD are organizing an INFF Event to mark the culmination of activities undertaken over the last 3 years as part of the DA13 INFF project. With the theme of "Transforming Economies through Integrated National Financing Frameworks (INFFs)," the Event provides a platform for the countries involved (Belarus, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Indonesia (TBC), Jordan (TBC), Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Zambia) to share their experiences. This includes sharing valuable lessons and identifying common challenges faced in applying INFFs to finance sustainable development at the national level. The Event aims to critically examine these experiences to identify practical insights that can improve the future application of INFFs, along with identifying strategies that can enhance the effectiveness and scalability of INFFs so that they can be adapted to various contexts and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. It aims to explore how INFFs can be refined and expanded to consider the dynamic global economic landscape and the evolving nature of development financing. The Event will also highlight the convergence of support for INFF implementation by countries, development partners, private sector, civil society, and academia.

DRAFT PROGRAMME

TIME

SESSION

10:00-10:15

Opening session

Facilitator: Ms. Shari Spiegel, Director, Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO), UNDESA

  • Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General, UNDESA
  • Mr. Marcos Neto, Assistant Secretary General, Assistant

Administrator and Director, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support, UNDP

10:15-11:40

Session 1: Advancing resilient and inclusive economies through INFFs

This session aims to highlight the versatility and adaptability of INFFs as a potent tool for advancing resilient and inclusive economies. Through

country experiences, it will showcase how INFFs can serve as effective tools for countries to mobilize resources, drive inclusive growth and meet national development goals and the SDGs.

Guiding questions:

For Countries (7 mins)

  • How has the INFF approach benefited your country? Discuss INFF implementation, including relevant roadmaps or financing

strategies or relevant focus area.

  • How has the UN supported this? Discuss role of UN regional commission or UN agency support under the DA13 INFF project.
  • Moving forward, what are your country’s plans on INFF

implementation and what support do you anticipate you would need?

For Respondents (5 mins)

  • What are some reflections on country interventions?

  • What plans/initiatives exist or are being planned to support INFF implementation in countries?

Moderator: Mr Daniel Titelman, Director, Economic Development Division, ECLAC

  • H.E. Dr. Hala El Saeed, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Egypt (video recording)
  • Mr. Luis Gregorio MADERA SUED, Vice-Minister of Planning and Public Investment, Ministry of Economy, Planning and

Development, Dominican Republic

  • Ms. Hazar Badran, Advisor to the Minister of Planning and

International Cooperation and Director of Performance and Delivery Monitoring Unit, Jordan

  • Ms. Yasmin Durán Bobadilla, Deputy Director of Projects,

Subdirectorate General of Investments, Monitoring and Evaluation, National Planning Department, Colombia

Respondents

  • Mr. Antti Karhunen, Director for Sustainable Finance, Investment and Jobs, Department for International Partnerships, European Commission
  • Mr. Olivier Cattaneo, Head of Policy Analysis & Strategy, OECD
  • Mr. Oliver Schwank, Chief, Policy Analysis and Development Branch, FSDO, DESA

11:40-13:00

Session 2: Strengthening national capacity to mobilize domestic resources

INFFs can help mobilize domestic resources to support national priorities, including efforts to combat illicit financial flows and leverage digital

solutions for enhancing tax compliance. This session will examine country experiences in this area.

Guiding questions:

For Countries (7 mins)

  • How has the INFF approach helped to mobilize domestic resources to support national priorities?
  • How has the UN supported this? Discuss role of UN regional commission or UN agency support under the DA13 INFF project.
  • Moving forward, what are your country’s plans on INFF

implementation and what support do you anticipate you would need?

For Respondents (5 mins)

  • What are some reflections on country interventions?
  • What plans/initiatives exist or are being planned to support domestic resource mobilization/INFF implementation?

Moderator: Mr. Gamal Ibrahim, Chief, Economic Governance and Public Finance Section, Macroeconomics and Governance Division, ECA

  • Mr. Felix Nkulukusa, Secretary to the Treasury, Ministry of Finance, Zambia
  • Dr Larba Issa Kobyagda, General Director of Economy and Planning, Ministry of Economy, Burkina Faso

Respondents

  • Ms. Farzana Sharmin, Economic Affairs Officer, ECA
  • Ms. Chiara Amato, Economic Affairs Officer, ESCAP
  • Mr. Rohan Gulrajani, UNICEF on INFFs and budget credibility

13:00-15:00

BREAK

15:00-16:10

Session 3: Harnessing the potential of the private sector for sustainable development

INFFs encompass capacity-building initiatives aimed at strengthening national institutions and enhancing stakeholders' capabilities. This session will examine how public-private partnership and infrastructure evaluation tools and entrepreneurship training can help harness the potential of the private sector. It will also cover the role of sustainability reporting in

fostering sustainable finance and investment.

Guiding questions:

For Countries (7 mins)

  • How has the INFF approach/relevant tools helped to harness the potential of the private sector?
  • How has the UN supported this? Discuss role of UN regional commission or UN agency support under the DA13 INFF project.
  • Moving forward, what are your country’s plans on INFF

implementation and what support do you anticipate you would need?

For Respondents (5 mins)

  • What are some reflections on country interventions?
  • What plans/initiatives exist or are being planned to support private finance/INFF implementation?

Moderator: Mr Richard Bolwijn, Acting Director, Division on Investment and Enterprise, UNCTAD

  • Mr. Sanzhar Bolotov, Deputy Minister of Economy, Kyrgyzstan
  • Mr. Marat Pirnazarov, Chair of the Service for Regulation and Supervision of the Financial Market, Ministry of Economy and Commerce, Kyrgyzstan
  • Ms. Tatyana Chizhik, Head of PP Center, National Agency of Investment and Privatisation, Belarus (video recording)

  • Ms. Tatiana Rybak, Head of the Accounting, Reporting, and Audit Regulation Directorate, Ministry of Finance, Belarus (virtual)
  • Mr. Mudenda Collins, Assistant Director, Financial Analysis - Public Private Partnership, Ministry of Finance and National Planning, Zambia

 

16:10-16:30

Development partner reflections and closing session

  • Ms. Jenny Krisch, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA)
  • Mr. Tom Beloe, Director, Sustainable Finance Hub, UNDP
  • Closing remarks by Ms. Shari Spiegel, Director FSDO, UNDESA

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