Keynote address for SDSN-JICA Workshop on Post-2030 Agenda Indicator Framework (30th July, 2026)

Good afternoon to those around this table, maybe good morning and good evening to some of those on the online. I am Akihiko Tanaka, president of Japan International Cooperation Agency.

I want to begin by reflecting on why this particular partnership is so crucial—particularly at this moment in time.
The world looks very different today from how it did in 2015, when the Sustainable Development Goals were first adopted.
We now see conflicts in many regions, regional geopolitical tensions, and increasing divisions.
The spirit of international cooperation that characterized 2015 has, in some ways, weakened.
Yet, I think the importance of the SDGs remains undiminished.
Across the world, countries continue to face deep-seated and shared struggles: protecting the health of people, improving education, raising living standards, and contending with global issues such as climate change and infectious diseases—struggles that no single nation can manage on their own.

In this context, JICA remains firmly committed to working in partnership with developing countries to advance the SDGs.
More fundamentally, we are committed to realizing a world that leaves no one behind—a world where every individual can live with dignity, free from fear, and free from want. This reflects the principle of human security that lies at the very core of JICA’s operations.

Guided by this principle, JICA implements a wide range of development cooperation initiatives through 20 issue-focused strategies, known collectively as, what we call, the “JICA Global Agenda.” As part of our Global Agenda, we mobilize resources through diverse modalities—including technical cooperation, grant aid, concessional loans, and engagement with the private sector—to deliver tangible and lasting impact on the ground.
Looking ahead, beginning in September of next year, the United Nations will suppose? formally initiate discussions on the international framework for sustainable development beyond 2030. JICA intends to contribute actively and constructively to this global process.

To proceed effectively, good intentions alone are not enough. We must be guided by robust evidence and act on lessons learned from implementing the SDGs. The post-2030 framework must be built not only on aspirations, but also on practical experiences and careful analysis.
Recognizing this, the JICA Ogata Research Institute has been advancing research on the post-2030 indicator framework since 2023. This research draws extensively on the knowledge and experience gained through JICA’s field-level interventions.
Today marks an important step forward in this endeavor. We are delighted to partner with SDSN in advancing our research work. Under the capable stewardship of Professor Jeffrey Sachs, SDSN has produced highly influential research and policy guidance over many years. By combining SDSN’s global network and intellectual leadership with JICA’s vast operational experience, I have the highest optimism for what we can achieve together.

Let me now turn to the substance of our research.
I would especially like to highlight what I see as three key challenges associated with the current SDG indicator framework—and some questions that the post-2030 framework must address.
But first, I need to acknowledge the remarkable strides made because of the SDGs.

The existing framework for sustainable development—with its 17 goals, 169 targets, and over 230 indicators—is comprehensive and represents an unprecedented global consensus. One of its most significant contributions has been to broaden the scope of development thinking. The framework has, to some extent, encouraged policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to look beyond sectoral boundaries and consider interconnections across all 17 goals. This has been a truly important conceptual advance.
At the same time, we must be forthright about the challenges we face.

The first concerns how well the framework captures interlinkages among goals.

In actuality, development outcomes are inherently interconnected. Health outcomes, for instance, depend not only on healthcare systems but also on water and sanitation, infrastructure, and education. While these interdependencies are widely recognized, the current framework is largely organized along sectoral lines. This can result in fragmented approaches, with different stakeholders focusing on their respective areas without sufficient attention to cross-sectoral impacts. The post-2030 framework should therefore incorporate mechanisms that encourage more integrated and interdisciplinary approaches.

The second challenge relates to the design of the indicator set itself.
Here, we face a fundamental tension between simplicity and comprehensiveness. While the current framework includes more than 230 indicators, the reality is that development is far more complex than any finite set of indicators can fully capture.
At the same time, such a large and intricate framework poses practical difficulties. Many indicators require disaggregated data, sophisticated methodology, or substantial financial resources for data collection. Some remain experimental, and in many cases, complete data coverage is simply not feasible.
These dilemmas point in different directions. Still, there may be a way, in our understanding, to reconcile them.

One approach would be to establish a streamlined core set of global indicators applicable to all countries, while allowing greater flexibility for individual countries and regions to develop additional indicators tailored to their specific contexts. Although such flexibility actually already exists, it could be further strengthened in the post-2030 framework.

The third challenge extends beyond designing indicators to safeguarding the broader data infrastructure that underpins the entire system of sustainable development monitoring.
We recently witnessed concerning disruption involving a critical source of data for SDG monitoring. Truth be told, the withdrawal of support from the Demographic and Health Surveys—or DHS Program—is already having detrimental effects.

This is a reminder that data systems like the DHS Program constitute global public goods. Without sustainable and reliable support mechanisms, they risk disappearing altogether. Countries that depend heavily on external funding for data collection are particularly vulnerable.

At the same time, we must explore innovative approaches to data. Emerging technologies offer significant promise. Satellite data, for example, can provide objective and increasingly frequent information on land use, air quality, and greenhouse gas emissions, among others. Likewise, big data and AI-generated data hold considerable potential.
Of course, however, we must also remain mindful of possible biases—particularly in data derived from digital platforms and social media. Whatever approaches we pursue, the indicators we develop must be scientifically sound, reliable, and practical, while also remaining cost-effective. Balancing these requirements will not be easy, but that is exactly the sort of complication that forums like this are meant to confront.

Allow me to conclude with a few remarks on the purpose of today’s workshop in my understanding.
This gathering has two main objectives in my mind.
First, to share our joint research with a broader community of stakeholders engaged in data, statistics, and policy for sustainable development—and to build new partnerships for the future.
Second, and equally important, to learn from your insights and experience. The invaluable knowledge and practical perspectives that you bring to bear are essential to advancing this collaborative research.
I am confident that today’s discussions will provide us with deeply constructive guidance.

In closing, I have outlined three key challenges for the post-2030 framework: capturing interlinkages, designing meaningful and practical indicators, and strengthening data systems for sustainable development monitoring.
None of these challenges are simple. But this workshop brings together precisely the varied expertise needed to address them.

I hope that today’s discussions will be pragmatic, candid, and forward-looking—and that by joining together, we can make meaningful progress toward a better future for all.
Thank you very much.