Summary
The fourth Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development met for a final day in Dakar, Senegal, on Friday, 4 May 2018. Delegates met in plenary and engaged in a round table discussion on peer learning, where representatives from Togo, Cape Verde and Egypt as well as GIZ and Major Groups and Stakeholders shared solutions, good practices and lessons learned in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Agenda 2063.
Delegates heard reports from the parallel sessions discussing Africa’s messages to the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6); Affordable and Clean Energy (SDG 7); Sustainable Cities and Communities (SDG 11); Responsible Consumption and Production (SDG 12); Life on Land (SDG 15); and Strengthening Means of Implementation and the Partnership for Sustainable Development (SDG 17).
The ARFSD accepted Morocco’s proposal to host the fifth session of the Forum in 2019, agreeing that the session will convene under the theme “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality.” They agreed that, as mandated by the HLPF, the fifth session of the ARFSD will address:
- SDG 4 on Quality Education;
- SDG 8 on Decent Work and Economic Growth;
- SDG 10 on Reduced Inequalities;
- SDG 13 on Climate Action; and
- SDG 16 on Peace Justice and Strong Institutions
Delegates also discussed the hosting of the 6th session of the ARFSD, agreeing that the Southern Africa region will host the meeting in 2020. They then adopted the meeting report, including over 50 key messages to the HLPF pertaining to SDGs 6, 7, 11, 12, 15, and 17. In closing remarks, Giovani Biha, Deputy Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Africa, reiterated the Commission's commitment to transmit Africa's key messages to the 2018 session of the HLPF in July in New York. The meeting closed at 9:26pm.
IISD Reporting Services, through its ENB+ Meeting Coverage, has provided daily digital web coverage and a summary report from the 4th Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development. The summary report is now available in HTML and PDF.
Photos by IISD/ENB | Franz Dejon
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L-R: Carla Cruz, Cabo Verde; Jörn Geisselman, GIZ; Nassim Oulmane, UNECA; Moderator Alloune Badiane, The Urban Think Tank Africa (TUTTA); and Mohamed Hanafi, Egypt
Moderator Alioune Badiane, The Urban Think Tank Africa (TUTTA)
Anne Alan Sizomu, representative from Major Groups
Mohamed Hanafi, Egypt
Jörn Geisselman, GIZ
Carla Cruz, Cabo Verde
Gervais Meatchi Tchaou, Chair of the third ARFSD, Togo
L-R: Tshwanelo Seeletsa; Mwampei Choba; Willem Fourie; and Christo Janse Van Noordwyk, South Africa
Rajae Chafil, Morocco
Chaikou Diallo, Guinea
L-R: Mwampei Choba, South Africa; Samba Harouna Thiam, UN Environment Programme (UNEP); Mageda Esolyo, Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health (TICAH) and Moderator Amadou Lamine Diagne, Senegal
Nassim Oulmane, UNECA
Moderator Amadou Lamine Diagne, Senegal
Mwampei Choba, South Africa
Mageda Esolyo, Trust for Indigenous Culture and Health (TICAH)
L-R: Bouna Manell Fall, Senegal; Diatou Thiaw, Senegal; and Tadong Leonel, Cameroon
Henri Mathieu Lo, Senegal
Tadong Leonel, Cameroon
Nassirou Ba, UNECA
L-R: Fatima Denton and Nassim Oulmane, UNECA
L-R: Christo Janse Van Noordwyk, South Africa, with Charles Akol, UNECA
Giovani Biha, Deputy Executive Secretary, UNECA
Cheikh Dieng, Chief of Staff, Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development, Senegal
After closing remarks from Giovani Biha, Deputy Executive Secretary, UN Economic Commission for Africa, the meeting closed at 9:26pm.
Snapshots around the venue
L-R: Nassim Oulmane and Tsigeredan Assayehegn Asfaw, UNECA
Meeting attendants at the Forum
Sandra Nyaira, UNECA
L-R: Vijay Kolinjivadi; Nadia Sohier; Tallash Kantai; and Franz Dejon, IISD Reporting Services