Sustainable Development Goals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) Region: Policy and Governance

Abstract

For the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, integrating the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development into development plans and policies within a robust institutional framework is essential in order to accomplish the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). As a result, there are two primary objectives for this review chapter. First, it describes the measures taken by MENA countries to integrate the SDGs into their national development policies and strategies. Second, it looks at how these countries have set up their institutions and governance systems to accomplish the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development goals. The key data source for this study is the Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) conducted by MENA countries between 2016 and 2021. The results reveal that MENA countries implemented the 2030 Agenda via a variety of policy instruments and planning mechanisms, including national development plans and strategies (e.g., Algeria), vision documents (e.g., Qatar, Egypt, Tunisia), and action plans (e.g., Qatar). Meanwhile, MENA countries have applied various institutional structures to ensure efficient and practical interministerial cooperation. In this regard, there are two types of institutional arrangements: those that coordinate at the highest level of government (e.g., a national commission reporting to the prime minister or president’s office) and those that coordinate deployment via specific ministries.