Background and Rationale

With fewer than five years remaining to the 2030 deadline, Africa is facing a critical moment in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. Recent continental and global assessments indicate that progress remains uneven, insufficient and, in some cases, reversing. Africa is currently off track on the majority of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), with slow progress recorded in 12 of the 17 goals and regression observed in at least five others. These trends reflect deep-rooted structural challenges compounded by overlapping shocks, including climate change, conflict, rising debt vulnerabilities, food and energy price volatility, and shrinking fiscal space.

The Africa Sustainable Development Report and related global SDG progress analyses underscore that current trajectories will not deliver the SDGs by 2030 unless implementation efforts are significantly accelerated. While policy frameworks, strategies and commitments have multiplied, the central challenge confronting African countries is not a lack of vision or planning, but a persistent gap between commitments and tangible results on the ground. Closing this gap requires a decisive shift from planning and reporting toward delivery, execution, accountability and impact.

Objectives

The overall objective of the special event is to contribute to accelerating the implementation of the SDGs and Agenda 2063 by bridging the gap between commitments, planning and tangible results. Specifically, the event seeks to:

• Showcase concrete actions and experiences undertaken by countries and institutions to advocate for and implement the outcomes of ARFSD, including the Kampala Declaration and Key Messages.
• Promote peer-to-peer learning and exchange among African policymakers, parliamentarians, practitioners and development partners on practical approaches to SDG delivery.
• Explore opportunities, partnerships and innovative approaches to accelerate implementation at national and subnational levels, particularly in the context of constrained fiscal space.
• Identify key enablers and constraints affecting delivery, including financing, institutional coordination, data systems and stakeholder engagement.
• Reinforce momentum and accountability for translating ARFSD outcomes into measurable results and impact as Africa approaches the 2030 and 2063 milestones.

Expected Outcomes

The special event is expected to generate the following outcomes:

• Enhanced understanding among participants of practical strategies for accelerating SDG and Agenda 2063 implementation.
• Documented examples of good practices and lessons learned from national and institutional experiences.
• Action-oriented recommendations to inform follow-up to ARFSD-12, national implementation processes and preparation for global follow-up forums, including the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
• Strengthened networks and partnerships for continued peer learning, collaboration and shared accountability.
• Renewed political and technical commitment to results-driven implementation, monitoring and impact.

Speakers

Panelists:

• Hon. Gilles Fabrice David, Junior Minister, Ministry of Agro-Industry, Food Security, Blue Economy and Fisheries, Mauritius
• Hon. [Minister – to be determined]
• Hon. Oliver Bamenju Agho, Member of Parliament, National Assembly of Cameroon
• Mr. Sering Falu Njie, Development Adviser, Office of the Vice-President, The Gambia
• Mr. Leonard Zulu, United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Uganda
• Mr. Moubarack Lo, President, Emergence Institute

Documents

Concept Note