Nigeria Urges Global Support for SDG Implementation in Africa

New York, September 23, 2024 – Nigeria’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Tuggar, has called on the international community to provide greater support to Africa in its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Speaking at the UN General Assembly Summit of the Future, Tuggar highlighted the challenges faced by African nations in financing SDG implementation and urged for a more equitable and inclusive global partnership.

“Despite significant progress made by many countries in the global South, the SDG Index estimates that only about 16 percent of targets are on track to be achieved,” Tuggar stated. He emphasized the need for increased support from developed nations to help address the historical imbalances in the international multilateral system that have hindered Africa’s development.

Tuggar called for several key actions to support SDG implementation in Africa. These include:

• Financing: Increased financial assistance from developed nations to help close the funding gap for SDG projects.
• Debt relief: Comprehensive debt relief measures to alleviate the burden of debt on African countries.
• Trade: A more inclusive and non-discriminatory international trading system to promote economic growth in Africa.
• Illicit financial flows: Stronger measures to prevent illicit financial flows and repatriate stolen assets.
• Tax cooperation: Adoption of the UN Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation to ensure that African economies are not disadvantaged by tax evasion and exclusion in global tax decision-making.
• Climate change: Increased support for the global South to transition to clean energy and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
• Digital divide: Bridging the digital divide through technology sharing and capacity building to ensure that no one is left behind.

Tuggar also urged the international community to address the challenges posed by cryptocurrencies, which have significant impacts on the global economy and are linked to transnational crime and money laundering.

By taking these steps, Tuggar argued that the international community can help Africa achieve its SDG goals and build a more sustainable and equitable future for its people.