Investments in human capital are a crucial accelerator for the whole EU and SDG agenda for North Macedonia. Ensuring relevant skills (4.4) for youth is a key in the age of rapid economic and social changes. In the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) (2018) North Macedonia lagged the  Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development  averages in reading literacy (393 vs 487), maths (394 vs 489) and science (413 vs 489).

Investments in secondary education (4.1) and competitive skills (4.3) could help young people to set out on a future path that ensures employment (8.6) and contributes to accelerating economic convergence with the EU (8.1). Addressing the gender gap in employment – through education and women’s empowerment (5.5) – could be a potential SDG accelerator with a broad impact.

Addressing evident differences (10.1) in education (see PISA 2018) by expanding options for boys and girls and enhancing young women’s and girls’ access to STEM and ICT education will contribute to women’s empowerment (5.5, 5.b). Sustainable urbanization, including transportation services (11.1, 11.2), and targeted inclusion policies for disadvantaged groups (Targets 1.3, 10.3) will contribute to improving equality of opportunities.

Entry point Target 9.4 involves 72 synergies and 8 trade-offs and entry point Target 9.5 has 78 synergies and one trade-off. Target 9.4 concerns the transition to green (clean) and blue (efficient) technologies, thereby reducing the environmental impact of business operations.

These targets have a broad acceleration effect through improved resource efficiency (Targets 8.4, 8.5), responsible consumption and production (Targets 12.1-12.8), energy efficiency (Targets 7.3, 7.a, 7.b), improved water efficiency and quality (Targets 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6), inclusion of youth and support of entrepreneurship (Target  8.4), climate action (Targets 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.b), no poverty (Targets 1.2, 1.4, 1.5) and no hunger (Targets 2.1-2.4).

The policies for accelerated growth would not be relevant if they were not delivering inclusive and sustainable growth. Target 12.2, focusing on sustainable use of natural resources, lies at the heart of the green economy.

It involves 59 synergies and 5 trade-offs and is closely linked with the following elements:

• Sustainable and inclusive agricultural practices (Targets 2.1., 2.3, 2.4, 2.5)
• Clean water and sanitation (Targets 6.1-6.6)
• Energy transition (Targets 7.2, 7.3),
• Sustainable infrastructure, cities and communities (Targets 9.4, 9.5, 11.3, 11.4, 11.6)
• Inclusive economy (Targets 1.2, 1.4, 1.5, 2.3, 4.7, 5.5, 10.2)
• Women’s empowerment, linked to women’s participation in decision-making (Target 5.5) and access to and control over natural resources (Targets 1.4, 2.3, 5.a).
  

The goal of the green economy is decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation while ensuring climate resilience (Targets 13, 14, 15).

Building a green economy requires short term trade-offs with the pressing needs of accelerated growth. It requires a just transition, namely providing transitory social protection measures to those affected by the  transition (Target 1.3), building skills for the future (Target 4.7) and business investments in sustainable infrastructure (Targets 9.1, 9.4, 9.5) using blended and innovative finance (Target 17.3)

The policies for accelerated, inclusive and sustainable growth of North Macedonia’s economy (Target 8.3) aim at converging with the EU. These policies are fully compatible with the SDGs and can serve as powerful catalysts for growth and SDG achievement. They are aimed at achieving faster economic growth (Target 8.1) through trade facilitation (Targets  8.a, 17.10, 17.11) and based on increased agricultural (Target 2.3) and industrial productivity (Targets 9.2, 9.3). Policies for sustainable growth also include those aiming at recognizing unpaid care and providing public care infrastructures and services (Target 5.4), enhancing women’s participation in decision-making and women’s empowerment (Target 5.5), including through STEM and ICT education (Target 5.b), and ensuring them equal rights to access and control resources (Target 5.a). Digitalization, which lies at the heart of these policies, requires developing quality, reliable, sustainable and resilient infrastructure, including ICT (Targets 9.1, 9.c).

Economic growth policies should resolve trade-offs with the quality of economic growth. Ensuring worker rights (Target 8.8), in particular freedom of association, are closely linked to the realization of the acceleration pathway (Targets 16.6 and 16.7) as without respect for freedom of association there can be no properly functioning institutions and inclusive decision-making in the world of work. Global resource efficiency (Target 8.4), increasing energy efficiency (Targets 7.2, 7.3), and ultimately decoupling economic growth from environmental degradation while ensuring climate resilience.

Policies for achieving the SDGs require strong (Target 16.6) and inclusive (Target 16.7) institutions. Not surprising, SDG 16 is at the centre of both the SDGs and the acquis communautaire (the common body of EU law that must be adopted before accession), especially chapters 23 (the judiciary and fundamental rights) and 24 (justice, freedom and security). These two chapters are seen as the backbone of the whole EU negotiation process.

Target 16.6 has 72 synergies and 0 trade-offs.

Targets 16.6, 16.7 have broad acceleration effects through improving inequality of opportunities and thus economic inclusion (Targets 10.1, 10.7) through implementation of specific policies aimed at women’s empowerment (Targets 5.4, 5.5) and participation in decision-making (Target 5.5). These are accompanied by policies aimed at reducing and redistributing unpaid care work (Target 5.4), reducing territorial inequalities (Target 11.2), reducing any adverse environmental impact (Target 11.6), promotion and protection of the human rights of ethnic minorities and of the most vulnerable groups, such as Roma, children and LGBTIQ (Targets 10.3, 1.5).