Liberia: Liberia Far from Achieving SDGS
Members of the UN Family, Development partners, government officials, and civil society actors were in full attendance
-UN Resident Coordinator Decries Country’s slow pace
Liberia is confronted with a lot of challenges as it relates to the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which aims at transforming the world by ending poverty, slicing inequality, and providing health, justice and prosperity to all, the United Nations has said.
These challenges are upsetting the country’s progress, threatening its ambition in achieving the SDGs in the stipulated time frame, UN Resident Coordinator to Liberia, Christine Umutoni said at the opening of a National Consultation Workshop on Commitment to SDG Acceleration and (The SDGs Transformation Roadmap) in Monrovia on Wednesday, September 6.
Umutoni noted that Liberia still has many challenges that are preventing it from reaching the global ambitious goals enshrined in the SDGs–and the country has a lot to do as it is ranked 157 out of 166 on the percentage of SDGs achieved.
The UN, in collaboration with the government of Liberia, kick-off the 3-day SDG 2023 Summit yesterday.
The initiative, which brought together several government policymakers and ministers, was held under the theme: “Amplifying the voices and actions for SDGs and committing to inclusive and sustainable transformation for shared prosperity in Liberia Transformation.”
Addressing the gathering, the UN envoy urged the Liberian government and other stakeholders to ensure that SDGs acceleration and transformation roadmap leads to a more impactful implementation efforts and commit to building connections and momentum across other major convening and processes.
According to her, this is a collaborative effort that involves all stakeholders in finding solutions to accelerate SDG implementation, including the pursuit of public-private partnerships.
Ms. Umutoni wants the government to strategically reflect on more effective transformation paths and pursue that change with the vigor and determination that the current situation demands.
In continuation, the UN envoy admonished Liberian to think big and aim high stating that “based on successful country experiences, and recent studies, including our own ongoing drivers of inclusive and sustainable development study, I would like to urge you to set a benchmark and national ambitious targets on poverty and inequality, prioritize institutional arrangements to deliver the goals and invest in the SDGs transitions priority areas.”
She also admonished the government not to leave no one hand behind, adding that investing in women and girls by especially in digital transformation work for everyone. "Therefore we want the government to adopt a life course approach to essential services that will maintain and invest in peace and secure food, water, and sanitation systems" she concluded.
Meanwhile Augustus J. Flomo, Deputy Minister for Economic Management, at the Ministry of Finance,(MFDP) extolled the United Nations Liberia for the summit. He admitted that while it's true that Liberia is facing some challenges that have prevented the government from fully implementing the SDG Acceleration roadmap, his government remains committed and supportive to the goal.
“We are working on policy to achieve this goal. We have put others’ policies in place and we achieve some but on a lower scale. However, I want to assure that we will do our best in terms of economic policy and decision,” he noted.