Kathmandu, November 21

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has said that the Nepal government should localise and institutionalise the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) framework as soon as possible to work towards achieving the goals and targets laid out in the agenda for sustainable development.

Speaking during an orientation programme held here today for journalists on the SDGs, Sophie Kemkhadze, deputy country director of United Nations Development Programme Nepal, said the government, private sectors and all other stakeholders should be on board to make sure that these goals and targets are met.

The sustainable development goals, also known as the ‘Global Goals’, are a universal call of action to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure that all people enjoy peace and prosperity.

The 17 global goals, born at the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in 2012 and agreed upon by 193 countries in 2015, are built on the success of the Millennium Development Goals with a conclusion that more needs to be done to improve people’s lives in a sustainable way.

These global goals include new areas such as climate change, economic inequality, innovation, sustainable consumption, peace and justice, among other priorities, to be achieved by 2030.

“The clock is ticking. Out of 15 years, one year has already passed and we have 14 years left to achieve the goals,” said Kemkhadze. “The earlier we have plans in place on what we want to do at the national level, the better we would be able to come up with actions to implement it.”

She also said that it is the responsibilities of each member state to ensure that the goals of sustainable development are achieved. “The United Nations and other institutions are here to promote sustainable development goals, but it is predominantly the responsibility of the country to attain the SDGs,” she said.

She also said that all stakeholders, including the private sector, should be on board to work towards achieving the global goals.

“I am not saying it is just the responsibility of the government, but that it is the responsibility of the entire country. Of course, the government has very big role to play. But then, there is also the civil society, private sector and individual citizens who have major roles to play in the attainment of the global goals,” Kemkhadze asserted.

Presenting a paper on the sustainable development goals, Basudeb Guha-Khasnobis, senior economist of the United Nations Development Programme, said that the goals were developed and adopted after holding a broad range of consultations among the stakeholders and the global leaders across the world.

He further stressed that the government is in the driver seat to attain the goal, but everybody else should support the actions of the government and play their respective roles.