Czech-UNDP Partnership for Sustainable Development Goals
Funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic and implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Europe and Central Asia, the objective of the Czech-UNDP Partnership for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) is to share the Czech expertise and innovative solutions with partner countries and work together to fulfill the Agenda 2030 commitments.
Since 2004, the Government of the Czech Republic and UNDP in Europe and Central Asia have cooperated to bring best practices and comparative knowledge to countries throughout the region. In 2018, UNDP and the Czech Republic entered the next stage of collaboration – the Czech-UNDP Partnership for SDGs (CUP) for 2018-2024 period with further extension to 2030.
Budget: USD 5,318,606.92 (2018-2024)
Objective:
The partnership aims to address development challenges in all 6 of the priority countries of Czech Development Cooperation by bringing innovative sustainable solutions in partnership with private sector, civil society and academia. As of 2024, the project targets 7 countries: Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Moldova, Zambia and Ukraine.
Modalities:
• Challenge Fund utilizes innovation challenges to leverage Czech know-how and generate improvement and value, especially by introducing new methods, ideas or products. All projects are implemented in coordination with local partners to assure viability in local conditions, long-term sustainability and tackle locally identified challenges.
• Expertise on Demand focuses on transfer of Czech experience and specific know-how and creates opportunities to share Czech expertise and strengthen expert capacities within the global UN system. Expertise includes technological assistance, expert consulting, preparation of feasibility studies and other.
• Knowledge Management: Throughout the project duration, CUP specialists collect, validate, document and provide know how, best practices, lessons learned, and other important information produced during project initiatives.
Impact:
• 90 Challenge Fund (CF) solutions tested in 6 countries in the 2018-2024 period
• Out of 70 CF solutions completed, 41 have been successfully adopted and 22 CF solutions have been scaled-up by 2024
• 47 experts deployed under the Expertise on Demand modality
• 2021 Challenge Fund project featured among UNOSSC's Good Practices on South-South cooperation (link)
More information can be found at undp.cz or Czech-UNDP Partnership for Sustainable Development Goals | United Nations Development Programme
Contact:
• cup.application@undp.org
• registry.irh@undp.org.
Picture 1 – EoD projects under implementation in 2024-2025 (Image source: UNDP BIH, CMHD CZ, SmartPlan)

Picture 2 - CF projects implemented in 2024 (Image source PiN, IRCON, Kokoza, all Challenge Fund 2023/24)
