Speaker of Parliament Anita Among has called upon the United Nations (UN) and government to further oil the wheels of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking at the Uganda Sustainable Development Goals Conference convened in Kampala, Ms Among challenged the officials to get out of their “cosy boardrooms” and go witness “the pains” firsthand on the ground.
“There should also be credible and timely information of the people and communities left behind so they can be better targeted by government development programmes, laws and policies and appropriate attention,” she said, adding, “I, therefore, urge you participants in this conference that as we deliberate on key models to accelerate the SDGs, let us also make an effort to map and identify those communities, those people that have been left behind so that we can better serve them.”
Held under the theme “Building Effective Model to accelerate the SDGs in the Post Covid-19 Era”, the three-day conference—which ended on Friday—was meant to enable the government and the UN—a major non-state actor—assess the effect the pandemic has had on the implementation of the SDGs in Uganda.
On his part, Chief Justice Alfonso Owiny-Dollo lauded the implementers of the programme for recognising the role played by the justice dispensing system. In contribution to the vital cause, the Chief Justice pledged to ensure the Judiciary whips all persons implicated in corruption scandals as these heavily impede the success of such cherished global programmes.
The State Minister for General Duties, Ms Justine Kasule Lumumba, lauded the Speaker and Chief Justice for their support towards the pursuance of the full implementations of the SDGs.
Officials from the UN; ministries departments and agencies (MDAs) as well as civil society organisations (CSOs) expressed their optimism that the SDG targets will be met considering that there is an enabling environment in the country.
The SDGs are the base upon which member states of the UN are expected to premise on to propel their communities to better and more sustainable lives. The SDGs total up to 17 and they include: no poverty, zero hunger, quality education and gender equality, among others.
In Uganda, the initiative is under the Office of the Prime Minister, which closely works with officials in the United Nations Development Programme.
