UNDP Global Policy Centre for Governance

UNDP GPCG at Arendalsuka 2024

The UNDP Global Policy Centre for Governance participated in informative and insightful panel discussions on a broad range of issues related to governance and development between 12 and 14 August at Arendalsuka – Norway’s premier annual political forum.

The UNDP GPCG Director, Arvinn Gadgil, hosted a UNDP-organised panel discussion in which members of the diplomatic community shared their experiences and views on advancing SDG 16 in the “Ambassadors Talk on Advancing Peace, Justice and Inclusion”. The session also included the Norwegian Launch of the new Global Progress Report on SDG 16, in which the GPCG Director presented some of the key findings of the new report: 

• Institutions are not inclusive enough
• The world is not a safe place
• Organized crime and corruption are jeopardising peace and development 

The presentation also outlined a multifaceted approach required to address insufficient progress on SDG 16, including: 

• Strengthening institutions
• Promoting inclusive governance
• Enhancing international cooperation
• Increasing funding
• Tackling corruption

View the 2^nd Global Progress Report on SDG 16 – here.

UN partner agencies also hosted insightful and challenging discussions in a forward-looking session on “UN 2.0 - What Should the Future UN look like?".  The expert panel, which included the Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs, explored the future of the United Nations and reform of the UN in the context of increasing geopolitical challenges, complex conflicts and international cooperation.  The UNDP GPCG Director, Arvinn Gadgil, presented on the importance of the role and functions of the United Nations and the urgent need to strengthen multilateralism.

Moderated by GPCG Director Arvinn Gadgil, UNDP organised a panel discussion focussed on “Super-Elections Year 2024”, which included Bloomberg, The Norwegian Technology Council, the University of Oslo and the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI). The panel explored emerging trends and new challenges to electoral processes and to the future of global democracy, including the impacts of social media, artificial Intelligence, misinformation and political discontent in many countries.

GRID-Arendal organised a timely discussion on a new and critical area for future work in peace, development and governance on "The Environmental Impact of Conflicts". The panellists included the Norwegian Foreign Minister, Espen Barth Eide, the Managing Director of GRID-Arendal, Karen Landmark , Senior Policy Advisor at the Norwegian Forum for Development and Environment, Ingrid Rostad, the Director of NORAD, Bård Vegar Solhjell and the UNDP GPCG Director, Arvinn Gadgil. The discussion focussed on the strong yet often-neglected interlinkages of conflict and environmental damage, highlighting the importance of peace and diplomacy, the role of civil society and the need for more data collection and rapid environmental damage assessments in conflict and post-conflict areas detailing some of UNDP’s work in that area.