Unity of Purpose to Accelerate Africa ’s Sustainable Development

Climate change is reversing some of Africa's gains in achieving Sustainable Development Goals in food security and poverty alleviation and the continent needed to build resilience against future shocks. Credit: Busani Bafana/ IPSBy Busani BafanaKIGALI, Rwanda, Mar 28 2022 (IPS) The COVID-19 pandemic reversed several development gains on the continent, and Africa’s leaders are convinced stronger cooperation in boosting investment in green growth will help Africa meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). African economies took a hit during the pandemic, which governments say has led to reverse progress made in health care, education, poverty alleviation, food security, and industrialisation as part of delivering on the SDGs adopted by the UN in September 2015. The 8th Session of the African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD) – an annual multi-stakeholder platform system to review and catalyse actions to achieve the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, heard how Africa is on the cusp of opportunity in building better through green investment. But the opportunity will only be unlocked when African countries cooperate more and deepen political and economic relations. A springboard and not a setback “Building the Africa we want is up to us,” said Rwanda President Paul Kagame, who opened the Forum convened in the capital, Kigali. He urged Africa to prioritise domestic resource mobilisation to finance its development, particularly its natio...
Source: IPS Inter Press Service - Health - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Authors: Tags: Africa Climate Action Climate Change COVID-19 Development & Aid Environment Featured TerraViva United Nations Trade & Investment #ARFSD #climatechange IPS UN Bureau IPS UN Bureau Report SDGs Source Type: news