The Ministry of National Development planning today launched Zambia’s first-ever Voluntary National Review (VNR) report on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since their adoption five years ago.
The Minister of National Development Planning Honourable Alexander Chiteme explained that after the adoption of the SDGs in 2015, member countries of the United Nations were encouraged to undertake periodic voluntary national reviews of their implementation of SDGs.
Mr. Chiteme was speaking through the Ministry’s permanent Secretary in charge of Development Cooperation, Monitoring and Evaluation Mr. Danies Chisenda who launched the VNR Report on his behalf in Lusaka.
Mr. Chiteme said the review is aimed at assessing progress as well as identifying key challenges in the implementation of the global agenda. He said Zambia’s review of its SDGs implementation, which have been mainstreamed in the Seventh National Development Plan (7NDP), is a validation of the level of commitment to achieve the vision 2030 and SDGs by 2030.
Mr. Chiteme said the VNR had showed that progress was uneven and there was need for more initiatives for the Vision 2030 to be achieved.
Notwithstanding the challenges, the Minister noted that Zambia had learnt some important lessons in the implementation of the SDGs.
“The first lesson is that effective partnership is key to improved development outcomes. The collaborative efforts in social sectors have proven to be effective and have provided best approaches and practices to learn from. For instance, the 2018 Zambia Demographic and Health Survey shows improvements in key health outcomes.” Mr. Chiteme said. “Secondly, climate change has the potential to undermine development gains. Climate change negatively impacted on Zambia’s economic growth during the review period and has emerged as one of the most pressing issues affecting the country’s socio-economic development. The response to climate change, therefore, demands the attention, commitment and decisive action by all actors at all levels.”
The Minister noted that one of the major concern highlighted in the Voluntary National review |report is that awareness of SDGS at sub-national levels remains quite low compared to national level.
“As a way of increasing visibility at sub-national levels, as well as effectively disseminating the results of the VNR report, it will be imperative for the report to be translated into national local languages in line with the tenets of whole-society-approach by leaving no one behind,” the Minster said.
He added the ministry will soon start the dissemination of the voluntary national review report to all provinces to influence policy dialogue on SDGS and enhance stakeholder participation in the implementation of the goals.
Mr. Chiteme assured stakeholders that the Government will continue to mainstream SDGs in future national development plans.
“Interestingly, the voluntary national review report is being launched at a time when the Government is preparing its Eight National Development Plan (8NDP) for implementation during the period 2022 to 2026. This will be following the expiry of the 7NDP in 2021,’ Mr. Chiteme said. “As my ministry prepares the 8NDP, efforts will continue to be made to mainstream SDGS in the new Plan so as to accelerate the attainment of the goals. In this regard, all key stakeholders including the UN systems are encouraged to work with our ministry to ensure that SDGS programmes and projects are adequately catered for in the new Plan.”
And speaking during the same function, UN Resident Coordinator Dr. Coumba Mar Gadio said the United Nations in Zambia is pleased to support the Government on the delivery of the SDGs and to ensure that “No One is Left Behind”.
“This year the Government successfully presented its first VNR at the 2020 High Level Political Forum. Zambia’s VNR showcases the country’s path in the implementation of the Agenda 2030 and the SDGs. Zambia has adequately mainstreamed SDGs (86 per cent) into the 7NDP. I am happy to note that Zambia’s first VNR is an outcome of participatory and inclusive consultations based on a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approaches,” said Dr. Mar Gadio.
“I would like to thank Government for the successful delivery of yet another milestone in Zambia’s path towards the attainment of the SDGs,” Dr. Mar Gadio.”
She said some of the highlights from Zambia’s VNR Report showed that the country had a stronger and integrated SDG compliant national development framework, Zambia has undergone considerable infrastructure investments, which forms the basis to unlock sustainable development throughout the country, the country’s commitment to the implementation of the Paris Agreement as well as gender and women empowerment, and effective patnerships.
Dr. Mar Gadio encouraged the wider development community to continue its support to Zambia’s development to achieve its development aspirations.
This is according to a media statement issued in Lusaka today by Ministry of National Development Planning spokesperson Chibaula Silwamba.
It’s a step in the right direction…it will help in assessing where we are lagging behind
Sustainable Development Goals… How far are we from achieving them?? Guess the report will give a clear picture
Great start it has started at the right time when the PF leaves office they will understand the SDGs better.
Congratulations for this report. Regarding Climate adaptation, more investment should go towards water storage infrastructure for crop and livestock production. Zambia has enough water but lacks institutional and financial capacity to manage water resources.