The national coordination mechanism for the 2030 Agenda is multi-tiered and comprises the: National 2030 Agenda Oversight Committee (NAOC); Thematic Working Groups of Vision 2030 Jamaica and other sector specific committees; and the 2030 Agenda SDGs Core Group (Core Group). A SDGs Secretariat has been established in the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), with responsibility for supporting all aspects of the work of the NAOC and its sub-committees — a) Communications; b) Data, Monitoring and Reporting; and c) Resource Mobilisation and Financing.
The NAOC, which reports to Cabinet, was established in 2017 a technical body comprising high-level representatives from government, civil society groups, private sector, academia, trade unions, political directorate and youth. The mandate of the Committee is to provide policy and strategic level advice for the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the SDGs. The work of this Committee is linked to the implementation and monitoring of the post-2015 development agenda. The NAOC is chaired by the Director General of the PIOJ and meet on a quarterly basis or as deemed necessary. Through the PIOJ, updates are provided to Cabinet at agreed intervals.
Jamaica has adopted a tripartite mechanism comprising three key national focal points (Core Group): the PIOJ, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade (MFAFT), and the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN). The SDGs Core Group supports the NAOC to:
• provide policy and technical advice to Cabinet, Parliament, Ministries, Department and Agencies
• promote institutional coordination at the national and sub-national levels for policy coherence
• facilitate inclusive and multi-stakeholder participation
• coordinate the monitoring, reporting and accountability framework for the SDGs
• manage public education campaign/awareness and advocacy for the SDGs.
The Core Group supports and guides the work of the SDGs Secretariat based in the PIOJ. Within the broader context of the post-2015 development agenda, the Core Group, through its engagement with all the development partners, facilitates the integration of the priorities of the following development frameworks into the national development agenda:
o the SAMOA Pathway for Small Island Developing States (SIDS)
o the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, 2015–2030
o the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development, and
o the Paris Agreement.
The Thematic Working Groups (TWGs) of Vision 2030 Jamaica and other sector committees form a critical arm of the institutional structure. TWGs are multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder bodies that collectively serve as the key institutional arrangement for monitoring and evaluation of Vision 2030 Jamaica and the 2030 Agenda. TWGs play a key role in the development of each MTF and have been critical partners in developing policies, strategies and frameworks to address development gaps. The roles and responsibilities of the TWGs are to:
• provide input into new and existing sectoral policies and strategies relating to thematic areas
• review progress of implementation of MTF and provide feedback on performance relative to sectoral targets, and act as a forum for strategic assessment and analysis of key results areas of the Plan
• facilitate effective partnerships towards the implementation of MTF and achievement of Vision 2030 Jamaica goals and outcomes.
The TWGs are chaired by Permanent Secretaries or senior government officials. The TWGs have been actively engaged in discussion and implementation plans for the SDGs in their respective thematic areas. The current TWGs are:
1. Education and Training
2. Effective Social Protection
3. Energy and Minerals Development
4. Environment and Planning
5. Governance
6. Hazard Risk Reduction and Climate Change
7. Health
8. Infrastructure and Construction
9. Justice
10. National Security
11. Population
12. Tourism
At the level of Parliament, matters relating to the SDGs will be considered by the Internal and External Affairs Committee.