Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC), in partnership with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) through its Division for Public Institutions and Digital Government (DPIDG) and the United Nations Project Office on Governance (UNPOG), along with the UN Resident Coordinator Office in Nepal and UNDP Nepal, officially launched the Training of Trainers (ToT) Workshop on “Effective National to Local Governance for SDG Implementation”, 13 May 2025. The programme is being held from 13 to 15 May 2025.

This three-day workshop is designed to strengthen the capacity of trainers and local government officials to accelerate progress on the 2030 Agenda and contribute to the realization of Nepal Vision 2100. It aims to enhance understanding of the SDGs, promote their integration into national and local planning processes, improve coordination among governance levels, explore innovative financing mechanisms, and provide practical tools for monitoring, and reporting, among others.

The inaugural session was chaired by Dr. Rajan Khanal, Executive Director of NASC, who delivered the opening address. Key remarks were also shared by Mr. Changseob Han, Head of Office at UNPOG/DPIDG/UN DESA, and Ms. Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, UN Resident Coordinator in Nepal. The session was moderated by Mr. Prabin Maharjan, Programme Management Expert at UNPOG/DPIDG/UN DESA.

NASC is honored to collaborate with national and international partners committed to building effective, inclusive, and accountable public institutions through capacity development aligned with the SDGs.

The three-day Training of Trainers (ToT) Workshop, held from 13 to 15 May 2025, brings together national and international experts, policy leaders, and practitioners for a comprehensive program aimed at enhancing capacity and coordination in SDG implementation across different levels of governance. Each day opens at 09:30 with participant check-in and a final Zoom log-in and technical check for guest speakers 15 minutes prior to the official start.

Day 1: 13 May 2025

The opening session begins at 10:00 AM and is moderated by Mr. Prabin Maharjan, Programme Management Expert, UNPOG/DPIDG/UN DESA. Welcome remarks are delivered by Mr. Changseob Han, Head of Office, UNPOG/DPIDG/UN DESA, followed by Ms. Hanaa Singer-Hamdy, UN Resident Coordinator, Nepal (TBC), and Dr. Rajan Khanal, Executive Director, Nepal Administrative Staff College (NASC). The session includes a group photo—captured both online and offline.

At 10:30, the workshop introduction begins with the “Setting the Scene” segment, which includes an introduction of speakers and participants, a program overview, and a short icebreaker activity. Mr. Prabin Maharjan presents the Curriculum on Governance for the SDGs over 15 minutes, accompanied by a video on the same topic.

Following a health break from 11:00 to 11:20, Session 1 focuses on Nepal’s implementation progress on the 2030 Agenda. Moderated by Mr. Shiva Hari Adhikari, Director of Studies at NASC, the session includes presentations from:

  • Mr. Omar Siddique, Lead, SDG Localization, Sustainable Urban Development Section, UN ESCAP (online) – on fostering SDGs localization (10 mins),
  • Dr. Kiran Rupakheti, Joint Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers – on linking the 2030 Agenda with national development planning (10 mins),
  • Ms. Stine Heiselberg, Head of the UN Resident Coordinator Office – on the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (2023–2027) for Nepal (10 mins).

This is followed by a 30-minute Q&A session.

From 12:20 to 13:30, Session 2 covers effective national-to-local governance for SDG implementation. Mr. Prabin Maharjan presents on applying principles of effective governance at the subnational level (10 mins), followed by a 60-minute governance self-assessment activity facilitated by Mr. Maharjan.

After the lunch break (13:30–14:30), Session 3 explores multi-level governance for SDG localization. Moderated by Mr. Jin Seong Choi, Associate Research and Policy Analysis Expert, UNPOG/DPIDG/UN DESA, the session includes:

  • Ms. Nosipho Dhladhla, Information Management Officer, DPIDG/UN DESA (via video) – on accelerating SDG localization (10 mins),
  • Ms. Claudia Garcia Zaragoza, Partnerships and Programme Manager, UN-Habitat (online) – on the analytical framework for multi-level governance (10 mins),
  • Ms. Meenakshi Kathel, Chief Advisor, Strategic Planning and State Outreach, UNDP India (online) – on institutionalizing SDG localization in India (10 mins),
  • Followed by a 30-minute Q&A.

A health break is held from 15:40–16:00.

The final activity of the day (16:00–17:30) is a 90-minute session on Vertical Integration for SDG Implementation using Cross-cutting Analysis, facilitated by Mr. Prabin Maharjan. The day concludes with a wrap-up and reflection from Mr. Jin Seong Choi (17:30–17:40).

Day 2: 14 May 2025

Day two begins again with check-in and a technical setup from 09:30 to 10:00.

Session 4 (10:00–11:00), moderated by Mr. Anil Kumar Gupta, Deputy Director of Studies at NASC, focuses on enabling effective multi-stakeholder partnerships. Speakers include:

  • Mr. Dharma Swarnakar, Policy Advisor, UNDP Nepal – on strengthening stakeholder engagement (10 mins),
  • Mr. Eri Cahyadi, Mayor, Surabaya City, Indonesia (online) – sharing Surabaya’s experience (10 mins),
  • Ms. Ga-young So, Research Fellow, Korea Institute of Public Administration, Korea (online) – on city-to-city partnerships in Korea (10 mins),

Followed by a 30-minute Q&A discussion.

A health break follows from 11:00 to 11:20.

From 11:20 to 12:30, participants engage in an Activity on Setting Up a Stakeholder Engagement Plan, facilitated by Mr. Prabin Maharjan.

Session 5, running from 12:30 to 13:30 and moderated by Mr. Jin Seong Choi, addresses financing for SDG localization. Speakers include:

  • Mr. Daniel Platz, Senior Economic Affairs Officer, Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO)/UN DESA (video presentation) – on strengthening local finance through integrated national financing frameworks (10 mins),
  • Ms. Nan Zhang, Programme Management Specialist, UN Capital Development Fund, Regional Office in Bangkok – on unlocking localized finance (10 mins),
  • Mr. Yadunath Acharya, Programme Director, National Planning Commission – on financing mechanisms for SDG localization in Nepal (10 mins),

With a 30-minute Q&A discussion.

After lunch (13:30–14:30), a 90-minute Activity on Financing for SDG Localization is held, again facilitated by Mr. Prabin Maharjan.

Following the health break (16:00–16:20), Session 6 addresses data governance and data management for monitoring and evaluation. Moderated by Mr. Jin Seong Choi, this session features:

  • Mr. Dayyan Shayani, Statistician, Statistics Division, UN ESCAP (online) – on measuring SDG progress (10 mins),
  • Dr. Hem Raj Regmi, Provincial Secretary, Ministry of Social Development, Sudurpashchim Province, Nepal – on national-local SDG data coordination (10 mins),
  • Mr. Ghanashyam Giri, Mayor, Chandragiri Municipality – on enhancing local capacities in M&E (10 mins),

Followed by a 30-minute Q&A. The day ends at 17:30 with a short wrap-up and reflection session led by NASC.

Day 3: 15 May 2025

The final day begins with the usual check-in at 09:30. At 10:00, a session on Voluntary Local and Subnational Reviews (VLRs) and their contribution to the Voluntary National Review (VNR) opens with a 5-minute video presentation by Mr. Jürgen Gafke, Senior Programme Management Officer, Division for Sustainable Development Goals, UN DESA. This is followed by a 55-minute activity on conducting a VLR, facilitated by Ms. Pragya Pradhan, Habitat Programme Manager, UN Habitat Nepal, and Mr. Milan Bagale, Project Coordinator, UN Habitat Nepal.

After a short health break (11:00–11:20), participants proceed with a 1 hour and 20-minute session on Developing an Action Plan for Accelerating Change, facilitated by Mr. Prabin Maharjan. This includes group work and report-back discussions.

At 12:40, a Presentation of the Roadmap and Reflections segment features:

  • Mr. Tulasi Sharan Sigdel, Senior Director of Studies, NASC – presenting the roadmap forward (10 mins),
  • Participant reflections (10 mins),
  • Workshop evaluation by Mr. Jin Seong Choi (10 mins).

The event concludes with a Closing Session from 13:10 to 13:30, moderated by Mr. Jin Seong Choi, with closing remarks by:

  • Mr. Changseob Han, Head of Office, UNPOG/DPIDG/UN DESA
  • Mr. Bishnu Prasad Lamsal, Deputy Executive Director, NASC