This is a report about hard choices ahead of us. Choices that governments, leaders, investors and citizens need to make about when and how to fund a multilateral approach to address today’s most stubborn and urgent global development challenges– climate change, health, migration, armed conflict and inequality. The case for a multilateral approach needs to be based on evidence that shows effectiveness and impact in addressing these challenges.

The overall ambition of this fifth annual report, Financing the United Nations Development System, is to advance the quality of this evidence-based debate and to expand the marketplace of ideas related to the United Nations and development financing. It showcases the complex funding dynamics of the UN development system and its role in spurring greater and more diverse financing flows for the 2030 Agenda.

Part One provides accessible UN funding data on revenue and expenditures, which we believe is important for understanding current and future financing reform discussions. This year’s report includes references to two new initiatives in the UNDS funding landscape, the Funding Compact and the 1% levy on tightly earmarked contributions. It also discusses the quality issues of financial data, the adoption of new UN data standards and why it matters.

In Part Two of the report, 25 prominent guest authors from outside and inside the UN system present their ideas and initiatives in concise essays on the financing trends impacting the SDGs. Together these essays provide analysis and insights that we believe make an important contribution to the debate and to the choices that lie ahead.

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