Santiago de Chile (EFE).- Latin America and the Caribbean has met or is in the process of meeting only 22% of the goals of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), so the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) urged this Tuesday to press the accelerator and implement policies that allow the 2030 Agenda to be achieved.
More than a thousand representatives of international organizations, governments and civil society will meet until April 18 in Santiago, Chile at the seventh meeting of the Forum of Latin American and Caribbean Countries on Sustainable Development, in which They will analyze the progress and challenges for the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda in the region.
“Latin America and the Caribbean is on track to achieve only 22% of the SDG targets, a trend we see around the world. But the SDGs were born in this region and, with clear focus, commitment and catalytic action, the region can rise and deliver,” Amina Mohammed, Vice President-General of the United Nations (UN), said at the inauguration.
The SDGs are 17 goals acquired in 2015 by 193 countries, which constitute the global social agenda until 2030 and propose global policies aimed at eradicating poverty, hunger and inequality, as well as strengthening education, health, culture, gender equality and environmental protection.
“Unfortunately, it is estimated that only 22% of the goals are already met or on the path to being met, just over three-quarters of the goals are outside the compliance path,” indicated José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs. , executive secretary of ECLAC.
Analysis of some SDGs in Latin America
The organization, the arm of the UN in the region, analyzed in a special report the progress in five specific SDGs: 1 (end of poverty), 2 (zero hunger), 13 (climate action), 16 (peace, justice and strong institutions) and 17 (partnerships to achieve the objectives).
In all of them, Salazar-Xirinachs pointed out, “lights and darks are observed,” such as in the goal related to the eradication of poverty, where “there are lags in the reduction of income poverty, but progress in other dimensions of poverty.” multidimensional, such as access to services.”
For this year, ECLAC expects regional GDP to grow 1.9%, which will maintain the low growth dynamics registered in 2023, when it expanded by 1.4%.
“In a framework of unexpected shocks, headwinds and diminished expectations about the progress of the SDGs, we must assume the energetic call that Secretary General Antonio Guterres has made to the world to redouble our efforts,” concluded the executive secretary of ECLAC.
