By Maricho Reporter
ZIMBABWE has made ‘some progress’ in food and nutrition security, agricultural transformation, health care, renewable energy adoption and economic growth, among other areas but progress in other areas has remained stagnant or regressed, according to the 2024 Voluntary National Reviews (VNR).
As such, Zimbabwe should leverage the United Nations Multilateral Solutions for a Better Tomorrow Summit also known as the Summit of the Future, scheduled for 22-23 September 2024 which offers an opportunity to align the country’s priorities with the key themes of the Pact for the Future.
This includes advocating for increased financial support and technical assistance to address its development challenges and natural and man-made crisis, according to the United Nations (UN) Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Edward Kallon.
The 2023 Sustainable Development Goals Report (Special Edition) indicates that more than 50 percent of the world is being left behind.
Progress on more than 50 percent of the targets of the SDGs is weak and insufficient while on 30 percent of targets, progress has stalled and gone in reverse. This includes targets on poverty, hunger, and climate.
This global situation is mirrored by Zimbabwe where the SDG index has stagnated since 2019.
“The Summit of the Future represents a critical opportunity for global leaders to address the pressing challenges facing our world and renew our commitment to multilateralism.
“This Summit will build on the outcomes of the 2023 SDG Summit and will focus on shaping a Pact for the Future that aims to drive transformative change across five key areas:
1) sustainable development and financing for development,
2) international peace and security,
3) science technology and innovation and digital cooperation,
4), youth and future generations, and
5) transforming global governance. Human rights and empowerment of women and girls will be cross-cutting.
At the UN’s 75th anniversary in 2020, Member States pledged to strengthen global governance and requested the Secretary-General for his recommendations to address current and future challenges.
In responding to this challenge, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, issued a report on Our Common Agenda, a wake-up call to speed the implementation of existing commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals.
In this report, the Secretary General recognized the following:
First, that it was now time to re-embrace global solidarity and find new ways to work together for the common good. This includes issues like epidemics and the triple climate crisis (climate Change, Pollution and Biodiversity loss).
Second, it is now time to renew the social contract between Governments and their people and within societies, so as to rebuild trust and embrace a comprehensive vision of human rights. People need to see results reflected in their daily lives.
Third, we need to end the information epidemic’ plaguing the world and promote integrity in public information.
Fourth, we must correct the blind spot in how we measure economic prosperity and progress.
Profits must not come at the expense of people and planet.
Fifth, now is the time to deliver more for the young people and succeeding generations and to be better prepared for the challenges ahead.
There must be meaningful, diverse, and effective youth engagement including through better political representation and by transforming educations, skills training, and lifelong learning.
Sixth, the need for a stronger, more networked, and inclusive multilateral system, anchored within the United Nations.
An effective United Nations would need to be able to adapt to global challenges while living up to the purposes and principles of its Charter.
It is in this spirit that the Secretary-General proposed the upcoming “Summit of the Future”.
To support Member States in the preparations, the Secretary-General has provided proposals in a series of 11 policy briefs geared at deepening the ideas initially laid out in the Our Common Agenda report.
In addition, the UN has facilitated engagement with Civil Society (the UN Civil Society Conference in May 2024).
The outcome of this engagement served as a consolidated input for Member State’s consideration for the Pact for the Future.
The co-facilitators for the Pact of the Future (Germany and Namibia) shared the 3rd draft of the text with Member States which contains 60 action points of which 20 are directed at Transforming Global Governance; 17 actions for International Peace and Security; 12 actions for Sustainable Development and Financing for Development; 7 action points for Science, Technology and Innovation and Digital Cooperation, and 4 action points for Youth and Future Generations.
In addition to the Pact for the Future, there is also the Declaration of Future Generations and the summit is also expected to produce a Global Digital Compact.
“As we move towards the 2030 deadline for achieving the SDGs, the UN System is dedicated to supporting governments to accelerate achievements.
“Through the Zimbabwe United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (ZUNSDCF 2022-2026), the UN will continue to provide support across the four principal pillars on People, Planet, Prosperity, and Peace and also in building partnerships and means of implementation,” said Kallon.
