Aid agencies sound the alarm as Israel's Gaza blockade enters a second month    Asian markets plunge as Trump's global tariff turmoil deepens    Trump's crackdown on university protests is casting a long shadow    Le Pen vows to fight conviction but large-scale protests fail to materialize    Al-Jasser: work is underway to restructure and develop aviation infrastructure    KAU to host Digital Communication Conference in Jeddah from April 29 to May 1    TGA: Riyadh tops with 45% of 290 million orders delivered in 2024    Diriyah to host third IMFC Deputies meeting under Saudi chairmanship    15,135 decisions taken to penalize Saudis and expats for violations    Saudi-European Parliamentary Friendship Committee discusses cooperation during Strasbourg visit    Saudi stock market loses half a trillion riyals, with Aramco's losses amounting to SR340 billion Tariff turmoil rattles Gulf markets    Benzema rescues Al Ittihad with stoppage-time equalizer in thrilling Jeddah Derby    Al Qadsiah and Al Ettifaq share spoils in tense Eastern Derby stalemate    Moussa Diaby praises Al Ittihad's resilience after Jeddah Derby draw "When you can't win, you take a point"    Saudi assistant referee Iman Al Madani joins AFC elite list for 2025    Riyadh Art Week launches with over 50 galleries showcasing global artistic dialogue    Turki Al-Sheikh announces five new Saudi film projects to be produced in Riyadh    Saudi Ministry of Education to showcase innovations at 2025 Geneva International Exhibition    Ed Sheeran weaves Persian music into new song, Azizam    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Screen time in bed linked to insomnia, study finds    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



UN summit galvanizes action for development agendas in Africa
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 21 - 07 - 2022

The development of Africa was spotlighted at a key UN meeting on Wednesday, with attention focused on advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063.
Despite being "rich with human and natural resources and enormous untapped economic and social potential," General Assembly President Abdulla Shahid told the high-level The Africa We Want dialogue that the continent "still faces challenges" in realizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Africa has undergone a dramatic transformation since the end of the colonial era, with many countries struggling post-independence to secure socio-economic development, peace and security.
"Africa today is a region that has adopted and pursued a transformational agenda towards sustainable development, and is chartering a path towards prosperity, unity, peace, and integration," said the senior UN official.
Noting its commitments throughout the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), Agenda 2063, and the SDGs, he said, "we are moving in the right direction, but we still need to do more".
Against the 2021 targets of Agenda 2063, Africa as a whole is only 51 per cent on track, according to a report issued in February.
While facing world challenges, such as climate change, COVID-19, rising fuel prices, and inequality, Africa has shown underlying vulnerabilities.
"Yet, progress remains possible," Mr. Shahid affirmed, underscoring the importance of investing in people.
Ambition required
Describing Africa's sustainable development as a "priority" for the UN and international community, he said collective action had often fallen short on delivery.
The Assembly President urged everyone to recommit to sustainable development on the continent, assess where action is lacking, foster progress, and fulfil existing commitments while generating new ones "that reflect our ever-changing world".
"With resolve, continued commitment, perseverance and support from the international community and the UN system," The Africa We Want could become a reality, he concluded.
Turn triple crises into an opportunity
Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General, his deputy, Amina Mohammed confirmed that the UN shares the AU's vision of a continent shaped by its own narrative, informed by its own citizens, and representing a dynamic force on the world stage.
However, the pandemic, climate change and the war in Ukraine have placed at risk previous development gains.
She outlined measures to tackle these challenges, maintaining that Africa's goals are still within reach.
To get there however, mindsets must change and the triple crisis must be turned into an opportunity.
Collen Kelapile, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and co-organizer of the session, called it "both timely and relevant".
He advocated for "collective action and international solidarity to address the looming threat of food insecurity and famine...[and] the impacts of the Ukraine war on energy and the economy".
"The silver lining here is that there is an unprecedented opportunity for Africa to step up to these challenges, speed up its industrialization and economic diversification, and integrate itself further upstream in global supply chains through increased value addition at source," spelled out the ECOSOC chief.
For the first time in a generation, Africa has displayed the "collective decisive measures and leadership" required, to take its destiny in its own hands, he continued.
"As we are drawing nearer to the end of Agenda 2063's First 10-Year Implementation Plan 2013-2023, this is the right moment to have this forward-looking dialogue".
The "mutually reinforcing and complementary" agendas bear testimony to the new narrative on Africa's development
"I urge African Member States to accelerate implementation of both agendas, and to continue to show leadership, political will and vision as we move towards the target deadline of 2030 and beyond," said Kelapile.
Noting that external financing, such as Official Development Assistance (ODA), has "consistently fallen short of commitments," he described domestic resources as "key" to development financing.
The question is how to "create and preserve the policy space needed" to reform and transform Africa's "still untapped potential".
"As African policymakers, we have a critical role to play in implementing and advocating for reforms that will strengthen Africa's institutions and governance mechanisms, which will in turn improve its tax and revenue collection capacity and rationalize the expenditures in a transparent and accountable way".
He pointed out that while Africa has only contributed around 3.8 percent to global carbon emissions, it is extremely vulnerable to global warming manifested through extreme weather, heatwaves, droughts, crop failures and hunger.
It also leads to further pressures in accessing resources, which result in vicious cycles of conflict on the continent and negative spill over to the rest of the world.
Dubbed the "African COP," the next UN climate conference, COP27, set for Egypt in November is "a critical opportunity to address this imbalance," said Mr. Kelapile.
It will provide opportunities to invest in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, efficient low-carbon transportation, digital transformations and climate resilient crops to break Africa's dependence on food imports.
Noting that by investing in human capital, every African can "earn a fair income, live a healthy life, and contribute to society," he encouraged the participants to "harness its demographic dividend" and empower the region's youth and women.
Investing in women and youth will "put the continent on track to realize the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs, as well as the aspirations and targets espoused in Agenda 2063," said Kelapile.
In closing, he welcomed initiatives of the AU, UN, international and regional financial institutions and others to scale up their support for transformative change in Africa. — UN News


Clic here to read the story from its source.