Dr. Eugene Owusu
The Presidential Advisor on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Dr. Eugene Owusu, has called on stakeholders to initiate bold and innovative actions that would help put the SDG’s on track in order to meet the 2030 targets.
Speaking at the launch of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)’s Action Summit 2024 in Accra, he said African states are at a critical point where accelerated efforts are necessary to give countries reasonable chance of meeting the targets.
According to him, in spite of the challenges facing the implementation of the SDG’s, African state, particularly stakeholders need to reignite renewed commitment to the implementation of the SDGs.
“The opportunities to act are abundant, and the cost of failure is too high to ignore. If we fail to achieve the SDGs, the repercussions will be felt across all sectors of our society.
Economic stagnation, increased inequality, and environmental degradation are just a few of the dire consequences we could face,” he added.
He said although there were several issues that have characterize the continent efforts towards achieving the goals, improved health, enhanced education, sustainable economic growth, and environmental sustainability as well as development in all sectors of the economy were some of the benefits if African states are able to meet the targets.
He stated that at the mid-point of the SDG’s implementation, calculations are that, less than 4 percent of the SDGs targets were on track to be achieved by Africa to meet the universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all by 2030.
Dr. Owusu further said, the Summit which will be held under the auspices of President Akufo-Addo in his capacity as co-chair of the Emeritus Group of SDGs Advocates would increase actions on the SDGs as well as build a consensus to accelerate actions to achieve the goals.
The United Nations Resident Coordinator in Ghana, Charles Abani said sustainable development financing is also key in achieving the goals as Ghana missed $43 billion worth of investment that were required before the global crisis.
He said developing countries should ensure that they have the resources and the fiscal space to deliver on the aspirations that were also required to achieve the goals else countries could do very little on their own to achieve the goals.
He also called for collaboration between government and the private sector to integrate SDG’s in their agenda in order to meet the targets.
SDGs Action Summit 2024 slated for July 2 and 3 which will be held on the theme, “From mid-point to Success – Recommitting, Scaling Up and Accelerating Action on the SDGs” will have other important dignitaries including the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group, Amina Mohammed, in attendance.
By Ebenezer K. Amponsah