The pre-summit convergence which took place at the TANGO conference hall was meant to strategise on the sustainable development plan.
It enables stakeholders, CSOs, community leaders, women, and policymakers to engage in essential discussions aimed at advancing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Officials said the dialogue is expected to lay the groundwork for collaborative strategies that will shape a sustainable future ahead of the main summit.
The Summit of the future will be in New York, in the United States of America from the 21st to 23rd of October 2024. It’s a high-level event that brings world leaders together to forge a new international consensus on how to deliver a better present and safeguard the future.
Speaking at the forum, Ndey Sireng Bakurin, the Executive Director of TANGO, underscored the importance of the summit, saying: “It is crucial for CSOs to be actively engaged in shaping the future.”
The country, she went on, “needs to prepare for the summit of the future by gathering insights and updating stakeholders on the progress of the summit.”
“The CSOs consultation forum aimed to provide a platform for stakeholders to discuss, share solutions in order to address complex challenges at the intersection of the National Development Plan (NDP) and the SDGs.”
For his part, Sering Falu Njie, Development Specialist on SDGs at the Office of the Vice President, said: “The summit is a catalyst to achieve some of the Sustainable development goals that are not on track.”
“Six years remain for the SDG to be achieved. However, some global factors impeded the process and we are behind the target,” he claimed.
The pandemics and climate changes, he continued, are the factors that affect the achievements of the SDGs goals which increased the income and gender inequality among others.
Yadicon Njie Eribo, the Chairperson of TANGO, called on the Government and international organisations and the private sectors to support and facilitate the participation of civil society organisations in the summit of the future.
