It’s half-time in the race to achieve SDGs

In September 2015, the United Nations General Assembly held under Uganda’s presidency, adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development aimed at transforming our world.

The Agenda is a global plan of action for people, planet and prosperity, that aims at eradicating poverty in all its forms and dimensions by 2030. With a pledge to leave no one behind, the Agenda has 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that demonstrate its scale and ambition. The SDGs integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development: the economic, social and environmental.

Today, we are at the halfway point to the end date set to achieve the SDGs. In many games and sports, half-time is used to reflect, assess strengths and shortcomings so as to re-strategize. At half-time a contest can neither be considered a win nor lose, regardless of the score. The questions that beg to be asked are: How are we faring as a planet and as a country? What must we do to achieve the SDGs?

Globally, at the midway point to 2030, the SDGs are severely off-track. For the first time in decades, development progress is reversing under the combined impacts of climate disasters, conflict, economic downturn and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Inequalities have worsened, strikingly so for women and girls. Tens of millions have fallen into poverty.

Hunger and malnutrition are on the rise. Humanitarian needs and displacement are at record levels. Yet still, there is hope. Securing a life of dignity for all, on a healthy planet is possible. But it requires an unwavering resolve to work for the global good. For this reason, when world leaders gather at the United Nations this September, the SDG Summit aims to lead the way to desperately needed breakthroughs.

In Uganda, despite the Government’s commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda, there are major challenges and risks to Uganda’s development trajectory, many of which have been exacerbated by factors related to global impacts, disease outbreaks, climate change and environmental disasters. The rate of economic growth has also not kept pace with the population growth rate. While poverty reduction trends had stagnated since 2012/13, the COVID-19 induced measures led to loss of jobs, especially for youth and women involved in informal micro and small enterprises, which pushed many into poverty. The risk of violent extremism and the terrorist attack in Kasese last week are challenges that deter development progress; and highlight the importance of security in achieving social economic transformation.

 Amidst these challenges, Uganda is endowed with vast natural resources, such as mineral deposits, tourist attractions, fertile soils, a largely warm tropical climate with two rainy seasons per year, and a large and growing young population, which if well harnessed through better service delivery, effective skills development and digital transformation, creates potential for sustainable social and economic transformation.

The upcoming Second National SDG Conference (UASDC23) presents a great opportunity to renew efforts to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs in Uganda. The conference is organised by Government of Uganda through the National SDG Secretariat Office under the auspices of the Office of the Prime Minister in partnership with United Nations in Uganda, civil society organisations, and private sector under the theme: “Promoting Inclusive National and Continental Actions for Accelerated Delivery on the SDGs and Agenda 2063” on 22nd and 23rd June 2023. 

The main objective of UASDC23 is to reflect on the mid-term progress made by Uganda in the integration and implementation of the SDGs and Africa Agenda 2063 in order to leverage synergies between the agendas to ensure that No One is Left Behind. The conference will leverage on the recently concluded the Mid-term Review of implementation of its Third National Development Plan (NDPIII) which will also inform the development of NDP IV. The conference is a cornerstone of Uganda’s preparations for the participation in the SDG Summit in New York in September 2023.

The SDG Summit represents a vital opportunity to move from rhetoric to action and break through to a better world. The SDG Summit aims to energize efforts and lay the path to a successful Summit of the Future in 2024. Specifically, government leaders are called on to step up ambition to drive transformation to achieve the SDGs. 

And they must do what is needed to ensure that global financing, debt, trade, data and technology systems work for all countries. They will be joined by civil society, the private sector, local authorities, academia and youth who embody the spirit of “We the peoples” and hold keys to sustainable solutions. 

Authored by Susan Namondo, UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda