Finance Ministry Organizes a Workshop on Sustainable Development Goals
Sudan Events – Agencies
During a virtual workshop organized by the Ministry of Finance on Sunday with development partners on community consultation for preparing the third Voluntary National Review (VNR) Report for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for 2025, Dr. Mohamed Bashar, Undersecretary of Planning at the Ministry, highlighted the importance of the third voluntary report. This report will draw the international community’s attention to the setbacks Sudan has faced due to the ongoing conflict. He emphasized the need for continued consultation with all sectors, including sustainable development coordinators at the national and state levels, to achieve progress in rebuilding the country.
Dr. Amin Saleh Yass, Assistant Expert for preparing the report and a sustainable development expert, reviewed the general goals for preparing the third voluntary report. He explained that all countries that have ratified and committed to implementing the SDGs set by the United Nations in 2015 are required to voluntarily prepare such reports. These reports serve as a means of assessing progress in achieving the SDGs, learning from the experiences of other countries, and attracting international, regional, and bilateral funding to bridge the resource gap. Additionally, they help establish sound development planning concepts and build national capacities to adhere to plans and programs.
Dr. Amin pointed out that there are two types of voluntary reports that need to be prepared: the Voluntary National Report and the Voluntary Local Report. He explained that the national report reflects the country’s direction towards sustainable development, the strategies and plans in place to implement these goals, and the long-term developmental visions of the country. It also highlights achievements, challenges, resource gaps, and mechanisms for mobilizing resources. He emphasized the importance of reflecting the country’s efforts to address poverty amid conflicts, institutional instability, displacement, as well as efforts in adapting to climate change and resilience programs.
He also noted that the voluntary local report highlights the integration of national and local policies, identifying key local challenges, ways to overcome them, and tracking developmental initiatives related to resource mobilization and implementation, in addition to the positive roles of civil society organizations and the private sector. The report is crucial for tracking ongoing challenges in the development planning process in Sudan, especially considering the impact of war on the implementation of SDGs, and assessing the levels of poverty and hunger among displaced people, children, women, the elderly, and the sick.
