Background
In July 2019, the Heads of State and Government in their Political Declaration of the 2019 Sustainable Development GoaIs Summit called for urgent concerted and accelerated action by all stakeholders at all levels to achieve the 2030 Agenda. Given its focus on actions to transform Africa in the decade ahead, the seventh session of the Regional Forum is well-placed to provide a platform to raise awareness of such actions at national government level and among non-State actors.
More than ever, people and countries everywhere rely on the United Nations to rise to the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic – a human crisis. The Secretary-General has emphasized that the creativity of the response must match the unique nature of the crisis – and the magnitude of the response must match its scale.
Moving ahead on the Decade of Action for SDG implementation1, the recovery from the COVID-19 crisis is an opportunity for governments and stakeholders alike to Build Back Better their societies. The SDG Acceleration Actions online database is a tool to help inspire and mobilize actions around the world to promote the implementation of the SDGs, as well as build resilience and bring inclusive recovery in the context of new realities post COVID-19, so that the global economy, planet and people we serve could emerge stronger together from the crisis.
Highlights
As of 17 December 2020, a total of 53 Acceleration Actions located in Africa have been published. The majority of actions (85%) aim to address multiple SDGs leveraging interlinkages, while 15% of initiatives focus on addressing one SDG. Of the 53 registered actions, SDG 1 has mobilized the largest number, followed by SDGs 4, 13, 17, 2 and 5. With regard to geographical location of initiatives, 29% of registered actions come from Western Africa; 25% from Eastern Africa; 21% from Southern Africa; 19% from Northern Africa; and 6% from Central Africa.
Every action counts. We look forward to a rich harvest of SDG Acceleration Actions to deliver a transformed and prosperous Africa through the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 in the coming decade.
Further information on UN SDG Acceleration Actions is available at: http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgactions/about
New SDG Acceleration Actions can be submitted online via: http://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/partnership/register/?source=90