The SDGs in the Development Cooperation Policies of the Spanish Autonomous Communities

There are ample analyses and case studies on the SDGs as a new framework for development. At the sub-national level, we are actually witnessing an “SDG localisation movement”, promoting bottom-up contributions, encouraging the use of more localised data and increased local ownership, and generating new interphases for dialogue and collaboration between different spheres of governance.

But how are we integrating the SDGs into our (decentralised) development cooperation policies? How are we local actors planning, monitoring and evaluating our development programmes to become effective SDG enablers? This fundamental question is addressed by different work streams within PLATFORMA, the Europan coalition of regional and local governments and networks active in decentralised cooperation.

In Platforma, Generalitat de Catalunya has led the elaboration of a report which has looked specifically into the impact of the 2030 Agenda on the development cooperation policies of the Spanish autonomous communities, with a special emphasis on strategic planning processes, and on the new conversations between development cooperation and other public policies under the SDG framework. The general idea has been to examine the position and role of development cooperation in regional strategies for the 2030 Agenda (or SDG localisation).

A working group was set up for the study, made up of officers from the development planning units from Spain’s main regional governments: Andalusia, the Balearic Islands, Castile and Leon, Extremadura, the Community of Madrid, the Valencian Community, the Basque Country, and Catalonia. This group discussed, agreed on, and subsequently completed a questionnaire with nineteen questions: six on the formulation of development cooperation policy and priorities for the use of official development assistance (ODA) resources; six on the SDGs in relation to other development actors, both public and private; and seven on dialogue on development policy with other areas of government and on the regional SDG strategy.

The analysis’s findings and conclusions revealed that sustainable development principles are highly congruent with the longer-term evolution of development cooperation policies in the autonomous communities. The universality of the SDGs connects well with the idiosyncrasy of decentralised cooperation (peer-to-peer, horizontal exchanges of experiences, and mutual learning) and reinforces current regional narratives on issues such as global citizenship or policy coherence for development. The use of the SDGs has allowed greater flexibility both in the policy process and in the dialogue with stakeholders, notably NGOs. The 2030 horizon has facilitated longer-term planning, and SDG 17 has made it easier to establish partnerships with new agents and integrate new issues that are relevant to sustainable development. Although some traditional NGOs initially perceived them as a challenge to their narratives and status, SDG ownership of the SDGs is steadily improving over time. Universities, research centres, businesses, and non-traditional development actors are identified among the initial promoters of the SDGs.

SDG integration is sophisticated and operates at different levels, but in all cases it goes beyond merely labeling pre-existing targets. Adapting aid instruments and modalities remains a challenge: the transition to new partnerships (beyond traditional subsidies) is slow. The SDGs create important opportunities for the division of labour between development actors in different territories, including municipalities, provinces and central governments. Policy coherence for (sustainable) development can improve the position of development cooperation units within regional government.

It has been noted that 2030 Agenda localisation strategies work best when foreign relations and cooperation units play a leading role in them.

Progress in the integration of the SDGs is general and present in all autonomous communities participating in the study, but the ambition and the pace of integration are also linked to factors of political leadership, public choice, and bureaucratic interests. It is not a linear process, but rather one that goes backward and forward. Future research should be able to assess this development.

Originally publised at www.linkedin.com