Eswatini conducting Voluntary National Review (VNR) on SDGs in 2022

The Ministry of Economic Planning and Development and the United Nations Development System in Eswatini have launched the process of developing Eswatini's Voluntary National Review of the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

The launch, attended by the Principal Secretary in the  Ministry of Economic Planning, Ms. Thabsile Mlangeni (on behalf of the Minister) as well as the UNDP Resident Representative, Ms. Rose Ssebatindira, who was standing in for the UN Resident Coordinator, was held at Sibane Hotel on the 9th of February 2022.

Eswatini will present its report in July 2022 at the High Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, held under the auspices of the UN Economic and Social Forum (ECOSOC).

The SDGs provide a blueprint to a better and more sustainable future for all and Eswatini has made significant strides in integrating the 2030 Agenda in national development plans.

In her remarks, the UN Representative noted that the review will boost chances of achieving the SDGs despite the challenges that have been faced by the country and the world. "Significant to the difficulties we've endured, the Review has a fundamental role in maintaining the momentum needed to achieve Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development within the next eight years,” stated Ssebatindira. “It is critical in ensuring that we Leave No One Behind in the nation’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond."

She further assured that Government that the UN would support the VNR process through the technical lead of UNDP, one of the 16 agencies operating in Eswatini.

Stakeholders across all sectors, including Government, civil society, the private sector, academia, non-governmental organisations and international development partners attended the launch of the VNR development process.

The development of the VNR is an important process in monitoring the implementation of the 17 SDGs in all countries. It helps countries to reflect on progress, obstacles and opportunities in the realization of Agenda 2030. The High-Level Political Forum is responsible for the review of countries’ VNRs.

This year's theme is: ‘Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

An in-depth review of SDGs 4 – ‘Quality Education’, SDG 5 – ‘Gender Equality’, SDG 14 – ‘Life Below Water’, SDG 15 – ‘Life on Land’ and SDG 17 – ‘Partnerships for the Goals’ will be undertaken at the HLPF in July 2022, with much attention paid to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all SDGs.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister, Ms. Mlangeni noted that the review has come at the right when Government was assessing the performance of other key national documents. “The development of the report comes at the right time when government is engaged in a process of assessing performance under key national policy documents; the National Development Strategy and the National Development Plan," she stated. "These assessments will inform the future development policy direction of the country."

The United Nations Family continues to stand in solidarity with the people of Eswatini in efforts to ensure a “just, prosperous and resilient Eswatini where nobody is left behind.”