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Rapid Response Facility

The regular programme of technical cooperation (RPTC) serves to support developing countries, least developed countries, countries with economies in transition and other countries in special situations in their capacity development efforts. Currently, those efforts are geared towards the implementation by Member States of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the Sustainable Development Goals, and other internationally agreed development goals and the outcomes of the United Nations conferences and summits. 

The sharing of experiences across countries and regions, South-South cooperation, the use of national expertise from the beneficiary countries to the extent possible and the building of knowledge networks to facilitate continued exchange and assistance and promote sustainability are characteristics of the programme. Another defining feature of the programme is that it is demand driven, implemented in response to urgent needs of countries for technical assistance. 

Established in 2017, as part of the RPTC, the Rapid Response Facility of ESCAP seeks to support member States in their efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in an integrated manner. In recent years, the RRF has provided financial support to member States in their Voluntary National Review (VNR) processes. This has included support with leveraging ESCAP’s tools such as the SDG tracker and data portal, the Leaving No One Behind methodology, and others. For more details, please visit ESCAP’s Support to the VNRs on the VNR page

Modalities:
 

       
     
   

                                                                
                                
 

                                                           
                       
             

 
 

Short-term Advisory Services

 
 

Capacity-building activities and services

 
  Short-term Advisory Services, included those provided by a pool of regional advisers and senior experts on economic and social development, official statistics on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, environment statistics, etc.   Capacity-building activities and services in line with the overall mandate of ESCAP and its Offer of support at the national level to Asia-Pacific countries.  

 

Highlights:

 

 

Twinning Programme for the 2030 Agenda implementation and VNRs

The Twinning Programme connects two or more countries in the region that are preparing their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) in the same year. ESCAP provides financial, facilitation and coordination support to link the countries during their VNR process. The Programme involves study tours, online workshops, and joint presentations and side events at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) and regional forums such as the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD).

Link VNR Twinning brochure

Twinning Programme for the 2030 Agenda implementation and VNRs

 

Voluntary National Reviews

For the preparation and follow-up of Voluntary National Reviews to enhance capacity to scale up implementation of the 2030 Agenda, ESCAP provides tailored support to VNR-presenting countries as well as local governments and stakeholders through the Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs). 

Link to VNR Offer

Link to VNR support request form

Voluntary National Reviews

 

National SDG Tracker

Through its Rapid Response Facility, ESCAP developed the methodology and the National SDG Progress Measurement Tool to measure current and expected SDG progress achievement by 2030 (as part of Asia-Pacific SDG Gateway). The methodology/tool is implemented in 16 countries in the Asia-Pacific region. In the 2023 round of VNR, six (out of 10) countries that presenting their VNRs used the Tracker to present their progress their progress on the SDGs (Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam). In 2023, the Statistics Division of ESCAP, with support from funds from the RRF, is supporting Tajikistan and Palau to implement the Tracker at the national level and the Philippines at the sub-national levels. 
 

 

 

 

National SDG Tracker

 

ESCAP Trade Intelligence and Negotiation Advisor

ESCAP provided Capacity-building support to Bangladesh, Cambodia, Nepal and Mongolia, as well as member States involved in the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Programme on Trade and Economic Partnership Agreement Negotiations, for comprehensive economic partnership agreement with India, including sustainable development provisions (consolidated through the ESCAP Trade Intelligence and Negotiation Advisor). 
 

 

 

 

ESCAP Trade Intelligence and Negotiation Advisor

For more information on the Voluntary National Reviews, please contact: [email protected]

 

Contact

Strategy and Programme Management Division +66 2 288-1234 [email protected]