Africa urged to take “bold leadership” to achieve SDGs

Addis Ababa, April 10, 2025 (FMC) – The Executive Secretary of ECA, Claver Gatete, has urged African leaders to demonstrate “bold leadership, decisive policies and strengthened partnerships” to accelerate progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

Speaking at the Eleventh Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (#ARFSD-11) in Kampala, Gatete emphasized the critical need for immediate and transformative action.

“The clock is ticking,” Gatete stated, highlighting the urgency of the situation with only five years remaining until the 2030 deadline.

The next five years must be marked by bold leadership, decisive policies and strengthened partnerships that will place Africa on a trajectory of sustainable prosperity, he underscored.

Gatete stressed the importance of African nations taking ownership of their development, with strong domestic policies.

He stated that “With you, our Heads of State driving policy reforms, creating an enabling business environment and mobilizing domestic resources for sustainable development, we are more than capable of delivering.”

“… the ECA and UN system remain committed to join hands with you, businesses, civil society, regional institutions and development partners to work and achieve the promise of the SDGs and AU Agenda 2063.”, he assured.

Turning to the state of SDG implementation, Gatete presented a stark assessment.

“With just five years to 2030, the data is sobering. Out of 144 measurable SDG targets, only 10 are on track, while 106 are progressing too slowly, with 28 regressing.”

He expressed particular concern for gender equality.

“In fact, at the current rate SDG 5 on gender equality will take decades to achieve and this risks undermining women’s contributions to social and economic progress. We simply cannot afford to continue at this pace.”

Despite these challenges, Gatete emphasized the opportunity presented by focusing on five critical SDGs: Good Health and Well-being (SDG 3), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Decent Work and Economic Growth (SDG), Life Below Water (SDG 14), and Partnerships for the Goals (SDG 17).

He outlined the specific challenges and opportunities within each of these areas, from the lack of access to quality healthcare and the economic marginalization of women to the vast untapped potential of Africa’s blue economy.

He affirmed the potential for African nations to succeed.

“With you, our Heads of State driving policy reforms, creating an enabling business environment and mobilizing domestic resources for sustainable development, we are more than capable of delivering.”

Under the theme “Driving job creation and economic growth through sustainable, inclusive, science-and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063,” ARFSD-11 aims to address the pressing need for concerted action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

The Forum is being held at a critical time when commitments to enhance the pace of implementation across the continent need to be revitalized. African States need to take bold, ambitious and accelerated transformative measures to improve development outcomes.