Minister Urges Sustainable Financing For SDGs’ Implementation

Nigeria’s minister of foreign affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has called on the international Community, especially wealthier nations in the global south to make more concerted efforts   to could help Africa to address regional challenges, particularly with regard to sustainable financing for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Minister said this in address at the “Summit of the Future” in the United Nations General Assembly in New York; even as he lamented that the countries in the global south are failing to meet the target of the full implementation of the SDGs by 2030.

He said “With  most  of  the  global  South  significantly  behind  in  the implementation  of  the  SDGs  2030  Agenda,  it  is  imperative  we  adopt measures to address challenges impeding development. This is especially important in Africa, where economies are most vulnerable due to historical imbalances in the international multilateral system.”

He noted that the SDG  Index  estimates  that  only  about 16  percent of  the  SDG targets  are  on  track  to  be  achieved, calling on the international community   to ensure  that the adoption of the Pact for the Future is backed by a real willingness to  fulfil  outstanding  commitments.

“With  the  remaining  84%  of  the  SDG targets for 2030 yet to be achieved, countries in the global North must do more  to  support  sustainable  development  in  the  global  South.  We  are optimistic  that  these  targets  can  be  met,  if  commitments  are  backed  by action.

However, in the event we fall short of achieving the SDG targets by 2030, we strongly believe that the deadline should be extended.

He also called for the reforms of  the  international  financial  architecture  to  promote  an inclusive,  non-discriminatory  and  transparent  international  trading system, as well as to implement comprehensive debt relief measures.

He also solicited support for local indigenous production and export from Africa as well as strengthening of measures to ensure timely repatriation of illicit financial flows and assets. He urged the  adoption  of  a  UN  Framework  Convention  on  International  Tax Cooperation  to  ensure  African  economies  are  no  longer shortchanged  through  tax  evasion  and  exclusion  in  global  tax decision making.