UN Joint Programme 'Accelerating SDGs Investments in Indonesia' (ASSIST)

Vocational students in Kupang showcasing hydroponic practices, as part of the Catalytic Funding program

UN Joint Programme 'Accelerating SDGs Investments in Indonesia' (ASSIST)

Background

Indonesia has aligned its national development priorities with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), reflecting a strong national commitment to sustainable and inclusive growth by 2030. To achieve these goals, the country requires an estimated USD 8.7 trillion to achieve the SDGs by 2030. With a financing gap of USD 1.7 trillion, government budgets and development aid alone aren't enough. Bridging this gap requires a whole-of-society approach—mobilizing capital from the private and financial sectors alongside public efforts.

To support this, the UN Joint Programme 'Accelerating SDGs Investments in Indonesia' (ASSIST JP), backed by the UN Joint SDG Fund, offers a strategic framework to scale sustainable finance. Led by the UN Resident Coordinator and four UN agencies (UNDP, UNEP, UNICEF, UNIDO), ASSIST JP runs from 2021 to 2025, working with national and local stakeholders to strengthen Indonesia’s financing ecosystem. Through innovative financing tools and targeted capacity building, ASSIST JP aims to unlock new sources of capital and bring Indonesia closer to its SDG targets.

How do we advance sustainable finance?

Icon of a money bag with coins, set against a gradient yellow background.

Contribution to Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI)

The ASSIST Joint Programme (JP) places gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) at the core of its mission to unlock sustainable finance for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Since its launch in 2021, UNDP, through the ASSIST JP, has worked to ensure that no one is left behind in Indonesia’s development journey. Through innovative financing mechanisms, ASSIST JP has embedded GESI principles into thematic bonds and sukuk, supported women-owned MSMEs with impact funds and catalytic financing, and delivered capacity building to over 1,500 women and vulnerable individuals, including persons with disabilities and the elderly. The programme also champions women’s entrepreneurship through initiatives like SheDisrupts Indonesia 2023 and the Blue Finance Accelerator, expanding inclusive access to economic opportunities in high-impact sectors. By weaving inclusion into every layer of its work, ASSIST JP is helping to build a more equitable and resilient financing ecosystem for all Indonesians.

Learn more in the ASSIST JP GESI Factsheet.

Factsheet about ASSIST JP's contribution to GESI

The GESI Factsheet for the UN Joint Programme 'Accelerating SDGs Investments in Indonesia' (ASSIST JP)

PDF (2,293kb)

Download here

Impact Highlights

$5.7B+

in total has been mobilized through sovereign and corporate thematic bonds and sukuk

Raised SDG Bond for $2.1B, Green Sukuk for $3.2B, Blue Bond for 333M, and Corporate Bonds for $45.4M per 2025.

50M+

people benefitted from SDG Bonds issuance,

enabling 30M vaccine doses, supporting 20M+ students through national education support programs, empowering 15K+ SMEs with entrepreneurship training, and improving irrigation infrastructure for 470K farmers and 1,500 farmer groups.

9.6

million girl students have received education assistance through the support of SDG Bonds

41K+

hectares of mangrove forests were rehabilitated through the support from Blue Bonds issuance

~2.8M

tCO2e emissions have been mitigated since 2023, supported in part by Green Sukuk investments

in energy efficiency and sustainable transport.

2,800+

individuals, including women, PwDs, farmers, children, MSMEs, and vocational students were supported

from the Catalytic Funding Programme through training in entrepreneurship, climate-smart farming, education, and financial literacy.

1,500+

women have been engaged in high-impact sectors

including sustainable fisheries, waste management, green education, sustainable agriculture, and equitable entrepreneurship—through the Catalytic Funding Program

38

startups & SMEs supported through the Blue Finance Accelerator and She Disrupts Indonesia program,

gaining access to tailored mentorship, capacity-building on Impact Measurement and Management, and exposure to sustainable innovation networks in sectors such as blue economy, gender-inclusive entrepreneurship, and climate resilience

Get Inspired by Their Stories

ASSIST JP Site Visit to Lombok

Stories from MIN 4, Lombok - SDG Bond Site Visit

Blue Finance Accelerator Alumni's Impact Stories

SDG Bond Site Visit to Yogyakarta

SDG Bond Site Visit to Aceh

Publications and Articles

Newsletters

Newsletter; ASSIST; Indonesia; Sustainable Finance; Joint SDG Fund

ASSIST JP Newsletter - 6th Edition

The 6th edition of the ASSIST Newsletter (July–December 2024) showcases key achievements, from supporting thematic bond issuances and strengthening public finance systems to promoting sustainable banking and impact investing in Indonesia.

Newsletter; ASSIST; Indonesia; Innovative Finance; Joint SDG Fund

ASSIST JP Newsletter - 5th Edition

The ASSIST Joint Programme 5th Edition Newsletter sheds light to key activities and milestones conducted by the programme from January-June 2024.

Newsletter; ASSIST; Indonesia; Innovative Finance; Joint SDG Fund

ASSIST JP Newsletter - 4th Edition

The ASSIST Joint Programme 4th Edition Newsletter sheds light to key activities and milestones conducted by the programme from July-December 2023.

Newsletter; ASSIST; Indonesia; Innovative Finance; Joint SDG Fund

ASSIST JP Newsletter - 3rd Edition

The ASSIST Joint Programme 4th Edition Newsletter sheds light to key activities and milestones conducted by the programme from January-June 2023.

Newsletter; ASSIST; Indonesia; Innovative Finance; Joint SDG Fund

ASSIST JP Newsletter - 2nd Edition

The 2nd Edition of the ASSIST Newsletter features key milestones, including Indonesia’s first SDG Bond Impact Report, Blue Finance Accelerator, and impact measurement training

Newsletter; ASSIST; Indonesia; Innovative Finance; Joint SDG Fund

ASSIST JP Newsletter - 1st Edition

The 1st Edition of the ASSIST JP Newsletter introduces the joint efforts of UNDP, UNICEF, UNIDO, and UNEP to accelerate SDG investments in Indonesia through innovative financing instruments and capacity-building for stronger institutional access to sustainable finance.

Factsheet; ASSIST; Indonesia; Sustainable Finance; Joint SDG Fund

ASSIST JP Factsheet 2025

The ASSIST Factsheet outlines key achievements from April 2021 to December 2024, including support for thematic bonds, public finance reform, faith-based finance, sustainable banking, and impact investing to advance Indonesia’s sustainable finance ecosystem.

ASSIST JP GESI Factsheet

The GESI Factsheet for the ASSIST JP, a programme supported by the Joint SDG Fund, highlights the program's commitment to integrating gender equality and social inclusion into its sustainable development efforts through innovative financing mechanisms.

Factsheet; ASSIST; Indonesia; Innovative Finance; Joint SDG Fund

Programme Factsheet of the ASSIST JP

The 1st ASSIST Factsheet introduces the UN Joint Programme funded by the UN Joint SDG Fund, uniting UNDP, UNICEF, UNIDO, and UNEP to support Indonesia’s SDG targets through integrated policy support and innovative, sustainable financing solutions

Impact Report; Catalytic Funding; ASSIST; BPDLH; Indonesia; Impact Investing; Sustainable Finance; Joint SDG Fund

Impact Report Catalytic Funding For Indonesia Impact Fund Investee In Leveraging Impact

This impact report reviews the Catalytic Funding initiative under the ASSIST Joint Programme by UNDP Indonesia and BPDLH, assessing how investees delivered environmental, social, and economic benefits to underserved communities, and their sustainability plans.

Thematic Bonds; Thematic Sukuk; ASSIST; Indonesia; Sustainable Finance; Innovative Finance; Ministry of Finance; Joint SDG Fund

Thematic Bonds/Sukuk Dashboard

With support from UNDP under the ASSIST JP, Indonesia’s Ministry of Finance launched a Thematic Bonds Dashboard featuring allocation and impact reports for Green Sukuk, SDG Bonds, and Blue Bonds, enhancing transparency, visibility, and public access to sustainable finance data.

Explore here

Municipal Bonds; Municipal Sukuk, ASSIST; Indonesia; Sustainable Finance; Public Finance Management; Joint SDG Fund

Assessment on Indonesia's Municipal Bonds Landscape

The “Assessment on Indonesia’s Municipal Bond Landscape” explores the opportunities, constraints, potential issuers, and proposes recommendations to strengthen the enabling environment for subnational financing to achieve the SDGs