SDG Budget Coding and Tagging for Strengthened Policy Making and Budgeting

There is a growing focus globally on ensuring the effective integration of SDGs into national budgetary and planning processes. ‘Better budgeting’ in the context of the 2030 Agenda means the explicit and measurable presentation of SDG targets in budget allocations and reports as well as the use of those in budget decision-making. 
When SDGs become a part of the country’s national policy framework, it is crucial that the process is then followed by SDG integration into the countries’ budgetary frameworks. If not integrated into the budgets, then it is very likely to expect disconnections between the strategic planning frameworks that have made commitments to the 2030 Agenda on one hand, and public budgets that remain driven by “business as usual” on the other.
The Sustainable Development Council and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP Sri Lanka) Sri Lanka initiated a process to introduce SDG Budget Coding and Tagging System to the National Budgetary Process through supporting the Department of National Budget and the Department of National Planning which can support improved visibility and lay the foundation for improved efficiency and equity analysis – as well as strengthened budgeting and policymaking.