With the participation of the Government of Costa Rica, donor countries, and the diplomatic corps, the United Nations presented three new Joint Programmes from the Joint SDG Fund on October 4th, that will be implemented in the country starting this year. These programmes will receive over 500 million colones in contributions from the Fund.
The Joint SDG Fund brings together UN agencies, governments, businesses, and civil society to advance the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through effective partnerships and concrete solutions tailored to local needs.
The presented Joint Programmes include:
Digital Transformation for Local Development
This initiative focuses on leveraging technology and e-government tools to address local challenges effectively. In partnership with the Institute for Municipal Development and Advisory Services, the Ministry of Science and Technology, and the municipalities of Sarchí, Atenas, and a third municipality currently under selection, the UN agencies—UNDP, UN Women, and UN Habitat—aim to enhance community participation, strengthen municipal governance, improve public service delivery, and bolster economic planning through advanced data collection, analysis, and accountability measures. The programme will also foster innovation, creating collaborative spaces where women are trained to engage in digital transformation processes. Additionally, it promotes the design and prototyping of innovative models that address community issues.
Empowering Communities in Sustainable Agri-Food Systems
This initiative will enhance territorial governance and environmental sustainability in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, the Ministry of Health, the municipalities of Guatuso and Buenos Aires, FAO, and UNICEF. The project includes developing a digital platform to promote the consumption of local products at farmers' markets, encouraging the use of indigenous crops in local cuisine, reducing food waste, and aligning with dietary guidelines for healthier nutrition.
Establishing and Financially Empowering a National Bioenergy Strategy
This programme, led by UNIDO and UNDP in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and in coordination with the Office of the First Vice President, aims to accelerate an equitable energy transition through the development of a comprehensive regulatory and financial framework for bioenergy. It includes creating a national bioenergy strategy and financial frameworks to support its implementation. The programme also focuses on producing biogas from pineapple waste, ensuring that the benefits of biomethane production are accessible to all, including women and marginalized communities.
Stephan Brunner, Vice President of Costa Rica, emphasized the SDG Fund’s significant contribution to the country’s sustainable development efforts:
“Costa Rica is very grateful for the work carried out by the United Nations agencies; they are a driving force for development in this country. Now, with the Joint SDG Fund, they are contributing to accelerating the transition from fossil fuels to more sustainable technologies, such as biomethane production—a project led by the First Vice Presidency among other initiatives supported by this Fund, which will allow us to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals before 2030.”
Allegra Baiocchi, UN Resident Coordinator, highlighted the SDG Fund’s role as a multi-donor and multi-agency mechanism that accelerates progress on the Sustainable Development Agenda in Costa Rica through comprehensive policies and innovative solutions.
The event also featured participation from donor countries of the Joint SDG Fund, with ambassadors and representatives from the European Union, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Italy, and Luxembourg in attendance, underscoring the international support for Costa Rica’s sustainable development initiatives.
Note:
All joint programmes of the Joint SDG Fund are led by UN Resident Coordinators and implemented by the agencies, funds and programmes of the United Nations development system. With sincere appreciation for the contributions from the European Union and Governments of Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Monaco, The Netherlands, Norway, Poland, 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.