United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), Mr. Claver Gatete, has called on African leaders to adopt bold, transformative measures grounded in science, evidence, and inclusivity to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.
Speaking at the Eleventh Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11) held on April 9, 2025, in Kampala, Mr. Gatete highlighted the urgency of confronting the continent’s persistent challenges, from economic stagnation and climate shocks to mounting debt and gender inequality.
“With only five years left to 2030, the data is sobering. Out of 144 measurable SDG targets, just 10 are on track,” he warned. “Africa must move beyond identifying problems. It’s time for bold, actionable solutions.”
Under the theme “Driving job creation and economic growth through sustainable, inclusive, science and evidence-based solutions,” ARFSD-11 gathered heads of state, ministers, development partners, civil society, and private sector representatives to forge a path forward for Africa’s development.
Mr. Gatete emphasized five priority SDGs as key levers for transformation: Good Health (SDG 3), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Decent Work (SDG 8), Life Below Water (SDG 14), and Partnerships (SDG 17).
He noted that African health systems remain underfunded, women face systemic financial exclusion, and over 113 million people are either unemployed or underemployed. “We cannot speak of prosperity when half our population—women remain marginalized,” he said.
Addressing the potential of Africa’s blue economy, he cited opportunities in aquaculture, coastal tourism, and debt-for-nature swaps like those seen in Seychelles and Gabon. However, he noted that the sector receives a mere 3.5% of SDG funding and suffers from illegal fishing losses worth $10 billion annually.
On financing development, Mr. Gatete proposed four strategic pillars: scaling up domestic resource mobilization, reducing economic risk to attract private investment, expanding access to affordable finance particularly for women and youth and maximizing the benefits of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
He also stressed the importance of digital transformation. “With investments in AI, blockchain, and digital connectivity, Africa can revolutionize trade, governance, and service delivery,” he said, advocating for a unified African Union Protocol on Digital Trade.
As the forum closed, Mr. Gatete rallied leaders to act swiftly and collectively: “The next five years must be marked by bold leadership and decisive policy actions. Africa has what it takes to succeed what we need now is the will to act.”
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, and AU Commissioner Moses Vilakati were among the dignitaries present at the forum, hosted by the Government of Uganda.
