By Nana Kwame Bediako
The Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Her Excellency Amina Mohamed, addressed the 2024 SDGs Action Summit with a passionate appeal for accelerated global efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra on Tuesday, July 2nd, 2024.
Emphasizing the necessity of the summit, she hailed the hosting efforts of Ghana’s President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and the dedication of Dr. Felix Addo-Yobo to championing the SDGs within Ghana.
At the submission, she referenced the latest Secretary General’s SDG Progress Report, revealing a disconcerting status and stating that 17 percent of the SDG targets are on track to be realized by 2030. Nearly half of the targets show minimal or modest progress, while a notable one-third have seen regressions since 2015. In Africa, the situation is more dire, with just 11 percent of targets in the initial 10-year implementation plan of Agenda 2063 being met by the end of 2023.
Addressing this sluggish progress, she asserted the necessity for reinforced commitment as we approach the latter half of the 2030 Agenda. Achieving the SDGs at the national level mandates the deployment of effective strategies, substantial financial mobilization, and the cultivation of strong partnerships.
The Deputy Secretary General also spotlighted the forthcoming “Summit of the Future” in September, describing it as a singular opportunity to pivot global governance towards equity, solidarity, and transparency. She posed crucial questions on invigorating the multilateral system to confront today’s challenges, reforming international financial structures to benefit developing nations, and upholding peace, democracy, and human rights as core components of sustainable development.
