In 2015, Cuba incorporated the 2030 agenda into its development framework. As Ms. Acosta explains, the challenge Cuba then faced was the unpacking and positioning of the 17 SDGs and the relevance of Cuba’s contribution to this global challenge. At the time, the government was also reevaluating its National Development Plan, which presented an opportunity for the MEP, as the leading body of the planning, to link the National Development Plan to the 169 targets and 166 SDG indicators reported by the country.
For Ms. Acosta, the design of an Integrated National Financing Framework (INFF) has been pivotal for reimagining financing for development in Cuba and encouraging institutional change and capacity. Aware of the many structural and institutional challenges that the country faces and the need for reforms and adaptations that help Cuba achieve the required social and economic transformations, Ms. Acosta highlights how the Support for the development of an Integrated National Framework for Financing the SDGs in Cuba (CIFFRA) has changed how critical problems and solutions are perceived, using tools to prioritize the programs and initiatives that will move forward development goals.
As the lead of the SDG Lab platform, she highlights the importance of the technical assistance provided by CIFFRA in the improvement of measuring and reporting functionalities of the platform. The addition of a dedicated indicators module and the disaggregation of data for a contextualized view of challenges faced by population groups has helped substantially to address gaps with inclusive financing for development perspective. In her words, “it has been an eye-opening experience”. It has helpedher move from a purely macroeconomic view to one that sees how policies interact and interrelate and how territorial dynamics need to be integrated into development policy and budgeting.
“CIFFRA has opened up a world of possibilities on financing and measurement of the SDGs”. These possibilities include a better understanding of a breadth of opportunities in the international arena to coalesce and connect to promote foreign direct investment, alternative financing mechanisms, and a more cohesive institutional system to break siloed action and foster longer-term thinking and action.
The process has also left personal silver linings, such as Ms. Acosta’s pursuit of a Master of Policies and Practices for Sustainable Human Development in 2022, motivated as well by her participation in the Joint Program. Her thesis explored the calculation of synthetic indicators for measuring SDGs in Cuba. Looking forward, she closes by saying “We have many challenges, and we can’t give up. I will continue to support the Ministry and the country in advancing the SDGs and implementing the roadmap.”
CIFFRA has helped me and Cuban institutions to rethink policymaking and financing for development with a more horizontal, multidimensional, and cross-cutting perspective.
We have many challenges, and we can’t give up. I will continue to support the Ministry and the country in advancing the SDGs.
The MEP acknowledges the remarkable progress made with CIFFRA, and all that is left to be done ahead for the implementation of the INFF, and I want to continue supporting these changes.
Adriana Acosta joined the Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP) in 2015 when she graduated as an economist from the University of Habana. She initially joined the MEP at age 23 as an intern and now leads the Office for Economic Planning as well as the SDG Lab Platform hosted by the MEP. Ms. Acosta represents the new wave of public officials who champion development and systemic reforms for the SDGs.
Note:
The Joint SDG Fund's joint programmes are under the prestige leadership of the Resident Coordinator Office and implementing United Nations Agencies. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Republic of Korea, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and our private sector funding partners, for a transformative movement towards achieving the SDGs by 2030.
