PM Dancila: The sustainable development goals provide concrete solutions for improving people's lives

The sustainable development goals provide concrete solutions for improving people's lives, from reducing the use of antibiotics to fighting poverty, Prime Minister Viorica Dancila stated on Tuesday. 

"Today, we have the first meeting of the Inter-department Committee on Sustainable Development, a structure that aims to put into practice, monitor and assess the 17 sustainable development goals which Romania assumed in 2015. At the Government level, we are concerned with taking good measures to the citizens' benefit, stimulate economy and build a sustainable society. In other words, we are concerned with both the present and the legacy we want to leave to the future generations. Sustainable development goals provide concrete solutions for improving people's lives, from reducing the use of antibiotics to fighting poverty. They are dealing with an extensive area of everyday life issues, such as healthcare, education, economic development and an inclusive society. There are the concerns of all the people, around which we must build a sustainable future," Dancila said at the Victoria Palace, in the beginning of the first meeting of the Inter-department Committee on Sustainable Development. 

She added that the Sustainable Development Department had been running for two years within the Gov't and, at the end of last year, it completed the revision of Romania's 2030 National Sustainable Development Strategy (SNDD). 

"The Strategy is tailored to the national specificities and proposes the necessary institutional framework for monitorisation and implementation. We intend to have working meetings at least twice a year in this formula, with a view to harmonise the sectoral policies and ensure effective cooperation between state institutions necessary for the implementation of the National Sustainable Development Strategy of Romania. The establishment of the Consultative Council is in the makings, which will gather specialists from various areas of activity who can contribute to a sustainable development. In addition to the institutional framework, we will also draw up an action plan involving all ministries. We need to have a clear picture, so as to ensure that we meet the goals assumed by this strategy. In this respect, the National Institute of Statistics, along with the Sustainable Development Department, will work on a series of national indicators. At European level, Romania proved involvement and professionalism in exercising the Presidency at the EU Council, we played an active role and this is why, in terms of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, we also obtained an agreement of all member states for the set of conclusions toward an increasingly sustainable Europe by 2030," the PM also said.