The President of the National Statistical Institute Assoc. Prof. Atanas Atanasov, PhD opened the first meeting of the inter-institutional working group for coordination of development and updating of the national indicator framework for monitoring and reporting on progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The meeting, attended by more than 50 people - live and online, was held in a hybrid format in the Granite Hall of the Council of Ministers. The meeting was attended by Assoc. Prof. Mihail Konchev, PhD - Deputy Chairman of the NSI, Radoslav Milanov - Director of the Strategic Planning Directorate at the Council of Ministers and Anton Gladnishki - Head of Department at the same Directorate. Antoaneta Ilkova, Head of the Working Group and Director of the Directorate "Multisectoral Statistics, Methodology and Cooperation" at the NSI and Stoyanka Stoykova, Head of Department at the NSI, presented the organization of the preparation of the national framework of indicators on the objectives and the results and conclusions of the consultations.
According to a decree of the Council of Ministers, the President of the NSI was appointed as the coordinator of the process of developing and updating the national framework of indicators for monitoring progress on the UN SDGs. The framework is being prepared by an inter-institutional working group, which includes representatives of 30 institutions and organisations, including ministries, agencies, BAS and the National Association of Municipalities in the Republic of Bulgaria. The national indicator framework is expected to be prepared and submitted for approval by the Council of Ministers on 18 July.
"We are fully aware of the responsibility that has been given to the National Statistical Institute in relation to the coordination of the development and updating of the national list of indicators for monitoring progress towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals," said Assoc. Prof. Atanasov at the opening of the meeting. He recalled that there are 17 SDGs in total, which include 169 sub-goals. "We all need to work in sync, because we are now laying the foundation for something much more than a national indicator framework. The SDGs are woven into and will be increasingly integrated into government policy and strategy. The implementation of these goals will ensure sustainable development and increase the well-being of the people in Bulgaria," the NSI chairman highlighted.
