A
regional consultation on the implementation of the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs); a collection of 17 global goals designed to be a ‘blueprint to
achieve a better and more sustainable future for all, have ended in Banjul on
Tuesday.
As
part of its resolution, the United Nations General Assembly set the SDGs in
2015 and intended to achieve them by 2030. The Gambia signed the SDGs in 2015
and has been working on the sustainable implementation of the goals. As part of
the implementation, the country will host a political forum on the goal this
year.
Director
of development planning at the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Alagie
Fadera said the objective of the consultation is to have ideas from citizens on
some of the achievements of the implementations of the goals.
“The
Gambia will present its voluntary national review at the high level political
forum in July 2020 and this consultation is part of that process with citizens
across all.”
He
said the views from the consultations have outlined some of the challenges that
need to be addressed, adding that more sensitization on the public about the
SDGs and what they are aimed at is needed.
“The
consultation has also indicated that we need to enhance the quality of
education, improve access to health, medication, quality education of health
personnel and also the sustainability on some of the interventions on
sustainable development.”
Mr.
Fadera said Gambia still faces poverty as a challenge but the government is
doing its best to tackle it as it recognises poverty as a major challenge.
Omar
Touray, Deputy Mayor of Banjul City Council (BCC) said there are lot of
challenges in attaining the SDGs but said the finance ministry is helping in
the attainment of the SDGs.
The
seventeen sustainable development goals includes; No Poverty, Zero Hunger, Good
Health and well-being, quality education, gender equality, clean water and
sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth,
amongst many others.
