Joint vision of future cooperation

A strong consensus on areas of human rights and development where the UN can make a difference in Montenegro, is the major outcome of a recent discussion between representatives of national institutions and the United Nations family. The two-day discussions gathered more than 100 people who, in the spirit of Delivering as One, defined the goals of the future programme of cooperation 2017-2021.

Engaging in innovative methods of long term planning, such as foresight, participants analysed uncertainties and challenges of the future as well as opportunities and potential areas where the UN can bring added value to the country progressing towards the EU accession.

“The primary goal of this work is reaching the greatest possible level of synergy between Government and the UN,”

Igor Lukšić, Minister of Foreign Affairs and European Integration

Inspired by a recently adopted 2030 Agenda of Sustainable Development and guided by key national priorities, representatives of national institutions and UN organisations, complemented common visions but also challenged each other in order to crystalize effective and feasible plan of cooperation, called United Nations Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF).

“The timing is perfect,”

Ambassador Milorad Šćepanović, the Director of Directorate for Cooperation with UN within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration

„With Sustainable Development Goals being adopted few weeks ago at the UN General Assembly, I could think of no better moment to merge forces of Government and the UN to jointly design our next five-year plan because, above all, it needs to be aligned with the 2030 Sustainable Devopment Agenda.“

A renowned futurist John Sweeney presented a summary of perspectives of preferred future of the country provided by several hundred people of Montenegro, that were collected through an interactive and innovative offline and online game “Hack to the Future”. The tool was specifically designed for Montenegro, taking stock of findings of the post-2015 national consultations and additional foresight exercises with representatives of the civil society and youth.

The intensive work over the two days resulted in identifying four strategic areas of cooperation broadly defines as: social inclusion, environmental sustainability, economic governance, and democratic governance. The plan is based on factual country needs and realistic capacities of both sides.

A special video dedicated to the strategic planning discussions will be available soon.