• Offers tips to hasten progress
United States Charge d’Affaires in Nigeria, Will Stevens, has said Nigeria and other African countries’ progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) remains slow, stating that the continent is not moving fast enough to meet the ambitious 17 goals on poverty, health, and equality by 2030.
He emphasised the crucial need for African countries to embrace data, better coordination and science to achieve their goals.
The diplomat made the submission yesterday while speaking at the 23rd symposium of a non-governmental organisation, Excellence Community Education Welfare Scheme (ECEWS), with the theme, “Sustainable Development Goals and their significance in addressing global challenges.”
Noting that progress towards reaching the SDGs is also off track globally, with only two targets on track out of 36 reviewed, the U.S. said uneven progress had been reported in Africa, with some targets requiring enhanced efforts.
Stevens maintained that the goals’ interconnectedness meant that the success or failure in achieving one would affect others, adding: “For example, achieving Goal 3, which is good health and well-being, would be impossible without achieving Goal 1 on poverty and Goal 4 that deals with quality education.”
He continued: “So, where are we now at the halfway point to 2030. The global sustainable development report of 2023 highlights that progress towards reaching the goals is a bit off track. Of the 36 targets the report reviewed, only two were on track, with eight showing backwards progression.
“The report finding shows how recent crises like COVID-19, regional conflicts and climate change have wiped out or slowed progress.
“On the continent, the 2023 Africa Sustainable Development Report noted uneven progress across geographies, agreeing that the number of targets on track is less than those that need enhanced report or reversal. The report calls for accelerated efforts to ensure we all reach our targets by 2030.”
