Africa is falling behind on Sustainable Development Goals
Although progress in Africa on reaching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was not optimal, there was some movement in the right direction, says Dr Hanan Morsy, deputy executive secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa.
However, action in dealing with climate change had regressed, said Morsy, who is UNECA’s chief economist.
In her presentation on the findings of the upcoming 2024 Africa Sustainable Development Report, Morsy said that the continent had regressed in one area – combating climate change.
The report focuses on five SDG goals. These are Goal 1, to end poverty; Goal 2, to reach zero hunger; Goal 13, on urgent action to combat climate change; Goal
16, to promote peaceful and inclusive societies; and Goal 17, to achieve gender equality. Outlining some key findings, Morsy said that while the proportion of Africans below the international poverty line had declined marginally, the proportion of those living below the national poverty line had risen from 33.3% in 2013 to 38% in 2023.
The number of undernourished people rose by about 49% from 2015 to 2022 compared with a 25% increase worldwide, she said, while noting that the Covid-19 pandemic had pushed 62 million more people into poverty.
She mentioned other areas of weakness, including peace and security, weak governance, lack of institutional capacity and the need for improvements in justice systems. Investment flows are also still focused on extractive industries, she said, although remittances have proved to be a resilient source of funds for Africa. Official direct assistance to Africa is below UN targets, with only five countries meeting the set targets.
Morsy outlined a list of recommended actions to move the SDGs forward.
They include investing in basic services, leveraging public-private partnerships, and developing high-value-added industries for job creation.
Human capital development is vital, as is improving agricultural productivity, closing the energy gap and developing regional value chains.
Morsy also suggested scaling up climate financing, monetising green assets and strengthening public institutions and statistical systems to support evidencebased policymaking.