SDGs Could Be “Defeated”, Stated Auditor-General Report

Zambia’s sustainability goals could fail to be met if changes are not made to policy implementation, says a new report by the country’s Auditor-General.

Zambia’s Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) have been made in accordance with the 2016 Paris Climate Agreement and were reaffirmed by President Lungu’s visit to the UN in 2019. All UN member countries are aiming to have fully enacted their SDG goals by 2030.

The Auditor-General’s report published this week, however, has found that the integration of the 2030 Agenda has not been made possible due to a lack of promotion and little or no awareness of SDGs at sub national and local levels.

Similarly, the official budget for sustainable project implementation has been found to be severely lacking, as projects go underfunded and as a result cannot be carried out to their full potential.

The mechanisms in place to monitor and report on Zambia’s progress have also been declared to be insubstantial, or, in some occasions, unfit for purpose, as “they were not integrated and coordinated.”

According to the report, “From the foregoing, the purpose of implementing the SDGs whose goal is to ensure that “no one is left behind” could be defeated if the above findings are not adequately addressed.”

The report’s damning findings comes as a blow to President Lungu, who had addressed the UN General Assembly last year on the importance of tackling climate change. Zambia has suffered greatly due to low crop productivity brought on by drought and extreme weather conditions, and is keen to position itself as a regional leader in increasing sustainable practices.