Can Africa meet the UN Sustainable Development Goals?
Progress slow but SDGs still vital
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were always a very ambitious set of targets for global development, stretching across economic growth, social inclusion and environmental protection. A succession of crises in recent years - Covid, the Russia-Ukraine War - has made them more difficult to achieve by the target year of 2030.?
With 2023 the halfway point between introduction and conclusion, Africa is lagging . Of the 166 states that the The Sustainable Development Report 2023 is able to assess, Tunisia is the top-ranked African nation in 58th position. It is only regarded as having achieved one SDG, that of ending poverty, but still has major challenges in ending hunger, providing decent work and economic growth.?
The next highest-ranked African countries are Cape Verde, Mauritius, Namibia and South Africa, but even South Africa finds itself ranked in 110th position, having achieved none of the goals and with a particular deterioration in its education provision.?
Only two of the bottom 14 ranked countries are not in sub-Saharan Africa, with South Sudan, the Central African Republic and Chad making the least progress on the goals. A joint report published at the African Economic Conference 2022 concluded that without quicker progress towards achieving the SDGs, at least 492m people in Africa will remain in extreme poverty in 2030 and 350m in 2050.?
However, the report argued that the 2050 figure could be driven down to 159.7m if policies to promote the SDGs are introduced, including transforming agricultural productivity through modernisation and promoting equitable and affordable access to energy. Achieving the SDGs in their entirety may now be beyond many African countries by the target date, but much good can still come out of efforts to pursue them.?
That ought to concentrate minds as global policymakers meet in New York for the UN General Assembly?this week.?
Africa is lagging behind on the UN's?sustainable development goals. Find out how it can catch up in?this Special Issue of New African, guest-edited by?Antonio Pedro, Acting Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa, to coincide with the UN General Assembly.
BUSINESS BRIEFS
THREE WAYS TO BOOST GREEN GROWTH?|?Academics have flagged up three lessons from innovative firms for channelling?Africa’s growing energy sector in the right direction.?>> Read more
SIERRA LEONE BLACKOUTS CAST DOUBT ON POWER SHIPS?| Sierra Leone has endured power outages after Turkish company Karpowership suspended its operations in the country for several days over a $40m bill.?>> Read more
WOODEN SKYSCRAPER DEMONSTRATES ADVANTAGES OF TIMBER?|?As the world's tallest timber building rises in Zanzibar,?African developers are fast recognising?the environmental benefits of wood.?>> Read more
MAJOR INDEX DOWNGRADES NIGERIA |?Provider of market benchmarks?FTSE Russell has downgraded its classification of Nigeria?in a move that could dent investment in the country.?>> Read more
STAR INTERVIEW
The investment bank targeting innovative finance in WAEMU
Interview with: Isma?l Cissé
The mainly Francophone West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) trails the other African regions when it comes to innovative finance. But one investment bank is determined to make up for lost time.
领英推荐
In partnership with Afreximbank
Trade bridges with?the Caribbean
Since last year's?Afri-Caribbean Trade and Investment Forum , Afreximbank President Benedict Oramah has been relentless in pursuing even greater relations with Caribbean partners. The next edition of the Forum will take place 30-31 October in Guyana.?>> Read more
GUEST INSIGHT
Angola's privatisation programme forges ahead
By: Alberto Galhardo Sim?es
With Angola's privatisation programme entering its second phase, this?is the time to look out for big company names being made available via IPOs.
TRENDING STORIES
Doubts over fresh start for Gabon after coup
A military junta overthrew the president of Gabon at the end of August, promising change in a country notorious for its corruption, but the coup may be little more than a shuffling of places among the elite.?>> Read more
AfCFTA offers massive investment opportunities in transport sector
Estimates show that the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) will increase the demand for road, rail, maritime and air transport by 50%.??>> Read more
Accountant| Bridging Finance| Commercial Finance| Development Finance| Buy to let Mortgage & Structured Property Finance
1 年Africa still has so much untapped potential, given the large young population, a great need for development, high poverty rates and an improving access to education and international collaboration, there is so much room. All we need is some semblance of Trustworthiness in the systems and people.