The African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development is being held to assess progress towards the implementation of the SDGs and the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063.
The three-day meeting was convened by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA).
Ms. Mohammed outlined five priorities to guide the discussions, starting with the response to the pandemic.
Vaccination is very important
“Immunizing 70% of the world’s population by July this year remains our main goal” she speaks.
“We must also build stronger and more resilient health systems by investing in health surveillance and primary care systems, as well as producing more vaccines, diagnosis and treatment”.
Increasing investment for the climate
In the wake of the climate crisis, the United Nations Deputy Chief of Staff called for expanded investment to protect people and ecosystems on the front lines of this global emergency.
She said developed countries must urgently fulfill their pledge of dual adaptation financing to at least $40 billion a year by 2025, a pledge made at the United Nations climate change conference COP26 in Glasgow last year.
At the same time, regional and multilateral development banks must scale up their renewable energy and infrastructure portfolios, as well as mobilize more private financing.
Energy, food systems, connectivity
Her third point focuses on the need to “supercharge” transformation in energy, food systems and digital connectivity.
“We need an equitable energy transition that allows Africa to access clean and affordable energy while protecting livelihoods,” Mrs. Mohammed said.
She cites the partnership in support of South Africa, launched at COP26, as setting a valuable precedent for international cooperation.
Ms. Mohammed said that a sustainable and resilient food system ensures access to healthy diets and nutrition, while restoring and protecting nature. Meanwhile, affordable connectivity and digital skills are needed to create more job opportunities for youth.
FAO / Sebastian Liste
A female farmer stands in front of bags of seeds stored in a warehouse at an agribusiness center in Sierra Leone.
Education recovery support
For his fourth point, the Deputy Secretary-General emphasized the need for education for post-pandemic recovery.
“Especially in developing countries, pandemics have the potential to cause generational catastrophes,” she warned.
In September, the United Nations Secretary-General will convene the Education Transformation Summit.
Ms. Mohammed said the event will renew the commitment to education as a preeminent public good, in addition to mobilizing actions and solutions.
Promoting gender equality
Her final priority area concerns the need to accelerate gender equality and economic transformation.
“More than 70% of people across Africa – the majority are women – continue to earn their livelihood in the informal economy, an afterthought in economic strategies and metrics,” she speaks.
Therefore, creating strong and stable jobs must go hand in hand with the achievement of universal social protection, according to Ms. Mohammed.
Last September, the United Nations and the International Labor Organization (ILO) launched Global accelerator for employment and social protection, which she says is at the heart of these efforts.
Accelerator aims to create 400 million new jobs in care, green and digital sectors, and extend protection to half of the global population by 2030.
