The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) programme is central to the attainment of robust economic cooperation among governments globally, Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has said.
He noted that this is particularly in the realisation of the decade of action for SDGs as defined by the United Nations (UN).
In a keynote address at the African Union (AU) continental workshop on Africa’s Voluntary National Reviews for the 2022 High Level Political Forum (HLPF) and Domestication of Agenda 2063 in Abuja, the vice-president also said it was obvious that the Agenda is Africa’s blueprint and masterplan for transforming Africa to the global power house of the future.
Osinbajo, who was represented at the event by the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Ahmed, said: “It is obvious that Agenda 2063 is Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future, as well as the continent’s strategic framework that aims to deliver on its goal for inclusive and sustainable development.”
According to him, Agenda 2063 is a concrete manifestation of the pan-African drive for unity, self-determination, freedom, progress and collective prosperity pursued under pan-Africanism and African renaissance.
He added: “The genesis of Agenda 2063 was the realisation by African leaders that there was a need to refocus and re-prioritise Africa’s agenda from the struggle against apartheid and the attainment of political independence for the continent.
“It is also an arrangement that prioritises inclusive social and economic development, continental and regional integration, democratic governance, peace and security among other issues, the objective of which is to reposition Africa to becoming a dominant player in the global arena.”
Referencing the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development, Osinbajo said: “As you may be aware, the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development adopted by all UN member states in 2015, provides a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future. At its heart are the 17 SDGs, which are an urgent call for action by all countries, both developed and developing in a global partnership.” To recognise that, he noted that ending poverty and other deprivations must go hand in hand with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality and spur economic growth while tackling climate change and working to preserve our oceans and forest.
Osinbajo further said that the SDGs had remained cardinal to the attainment of robust economic cooperation among governments globally particularly, in the realisation of the decade of action for SDGs as defined by the UN.
He stressed: “You will agree with me that the strategic partnership embedded in the SDGs has availed Nigeria a huge implementation context due to its large population, landmass and ethnic diversity.
“To achieve the SDGs and its effective implementation, Nigeria has established six SDG innovation hubs, one in each geo-political zone; this provides an opportunity for states to leverage and dialogue with all relevant stakeholders to accelerate innovative solutions, prioritising social protection as a tool to overcome the bottlenecks and expanding financing options to accelerate the achievement of SDGs in Nigeria.
“Since the adoption of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 and the UN Agenda 2030, the Nigerian government has embarked upon a process of domesticating these agendas at the national and sub-national levels. Interestingly, the new National Development Plan (NDP) 2021-2025 has strategies that aim at achieving the targets set under each of the goals in both Agenda.”
Osinbajo stated that the capacities of policy-makers are being strengthened to ensure their implementation in an integrated and coherent manner in order to facilitate an inclusive implementation processes across all relevant sectors.
The Nigerian government, he stated, had been proactive in addressing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, assuring the audience that Nigeria has attained a landmark even in the midst of the slowdown of economic activities arising from the pandemic.
In addressing the gaps created by the pandemic, he stated that the National Economic Recovery and Sustainability Plan of government was introduced to cushion some of the hard effects of the global meltdown.
