Montenegro SDG Acceleration Fund advances reforms and sets 2026 priorities

Podgorica, 30 April 2026 

The Joint Steering Committee of the Montenegro SDG Acceleration Fund convened today at the UN Eco House to review results achieved in 2025, assess the Fund’s financial status, and define priorities for the 2026 allocation cycle.

Co-chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ervin Ibrahimović and UN Resident Coordinator Caroline Tissot, the meeting reaffirmed the Fund’s role as a key partnership platform aligning Government and development partners behind nationally owned reforms and measurable progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Montenegro’s EU accession priorities.

"Effective multilateralism, with the United Nations at the center, remains a strategic commitment for Montenegro and the foundation of our development and foreign policy," Ibrahimović pointed out, adding that "the establishment and further development of the Fund for Accelerated Development represents a concrete confirmation of that commitment, but also an example of the evolution of long-term and fruitful cooperation with the UN system in Montenegro."

“The Montenegro SDG Acceleration Fund is a powerful example of how partnerships can translate shared commitments into tangible results for people,” said UN Resident Coordinator Caroline Tissot. “By bringing together Government, the UN and partners, the Fund accelerates reforms that strengthen institutions, expand opportunities, and advance Montenegro on its EU and sustainable development path.”

The Montenegro SDG Acceleration Fund is a United Nations country-based pooled fund supporting Montenegro’s implementation of the 2030 Agenda on its EU accession process. Anchored in the UN Cooperation Framework 2023–2027, it finances joint UN programmes aimed at integrated, multi-agency solutions with strong national ownership.

By the end of 2025, the Fund had mobilized USD 6.6 million, with USD 4.8 million already disbursed across nine joint UN projects spanning all three strategic priority areas of the Cooperation Framework.

In the area of inclusive economic development and environmental sustainability, the Fund supported key system-level reforms, including Montenegro’s first Industrial Symbiosis Manual and Institutional Roadmap – a set of strategic tools for enhancing circular transition, as well as participatory processes shaping the Smart Specialisation Strategy 2026–2031 and the Innovation for Sustainable Development Review. It also advanced women’s economic empowerment through the establishment of Montenegro’s first Rural Women’s Parliament and targeted training for 133 rural women.

In human capital development and social inclusion, the Fund contributed to scaling up education innovation nationwide. EdTech Hubs were expanded to 106 schools, while the Digital School platform now hosts over 12,000 digital lessons. Progress was also made towards operationalising the Barnahus model, which supports child survivors and witnesses of violence, abuse and sexual exploitation, including the development of draft National Standards and a Roadmap, as well as its recognition in the draft Law on Social and Child Protection.

In the area of social cohesion, governance, rule of law and human rights, a major milestone was reached as all 25 municipalities signed an Intermunicipal Agreement enabling the shared use of Government Service Bus infrastructure, improving interoperability and citizen-centred service delivery. The Fund also supported further development of the Information System for Planning and Reporting and groundwork for a future Law on Strategic Planning.

The Joint Steering Committee expressed appreciation to the Fund’s strategic partners – the European Union and governments of Luxembourg, Switzerland, Montenegro, Austria and Ireland, for their continued support in advancing sustainable development and delivering results for people across the country.