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The Eleventh Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11) is set to take place in Kampala, Uganda, from April 9 to April 11, 2025, preceded by pre-events, such as the Africa Regional Science, Technology and Innovation Forum. This multi-stakeholder forum is jointly organised by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the Government of Uganda, in collaboration with the African Union Commission, the African Development Bank, and various United Nations agencies.
Under the theme “Driving job creation and economic growth through sustainable, inclusive, science-and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063,” ARFSD-11 aims to address the pressing need for concerted action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. With only five years left to meet these ambitious targets, the Forum represents a crucial opportunity to catalyse real change on the Continent.
While some progress has been registered on the SDGs as reported in voluntary reviews, the organizing experts worry that Africa, like many parts of the world, is currently off track with most SDG targets and has even seen regression in certain areas. The Forum is being held at a critical time when commitments to enhance the pace of implementation across the continent need to be revitalised. African States need to take bold, ambitious and accelerated transformative measures to improve development outcomes.
As part of the ARFSD, countries will participate in a Regional preparatory workshop for African voluntary national reviews and voluntary local reviews, with the aim of strengthening peer-to-peer learning and sharing best practices and success stories in addressing common challenges that are specific to Africa.
Furthermore, there is the urgency to implement the Second Ten-Year Implementation Plan (STYIP) of Agenda 2063, as it directly aligns with the overarching goals of the 2030 Agenda, with ambitions known as “moonshots” which include the attainment of at least middle-income status and the amicable resolution of conflicts in Africa by 2044.
Amplifying Africa’s collective voice on the SDGs and Agenda 2063
The annual Forum is coming in the wake of resolutions reached at the 2024 Summit of the Future and the need to push concrete actions for the implementation of the Summit’s outcomes. Additionally, the Forum will serve as a preparatory meeting for the Second World Summit for Social Development, set to be held in Qatar in November 2025. This alignment emphasizes the importance of Africa’s collective voice on global platforms.
The objectives of ARFSD-11 include a comprehensive review of progress, challenges, and opportunities in implementing the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 with specific focus on five key SDGs:
- SDG 3 (good health and well-being)
- SDG 5 (gender equality)
- SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth)
- SDG 14 (life below water) and
- SDG 17 (partnerships for the goals) and the corresponding goals of Agenda 2063 with a special focus on its second ten-year implementation plan (STYIP).
Furthermore, the Forum aims to strengthen learning and advocate for effective policy measures that promote sustainable, inclusive, and evidence-based solutions at national, regional, and global levels. It will also facilitate consensus-building and the adoption of key outcome documents, including the Kampala Declaration on sustainable development.
As a multi-stakeholder forum, ARFSD-11 will adopt a hybrid format, allowing both in-person and virtual participation from ministers, high-level policymakers, experts, and practitioners across various sectors. Participants will represent ministries responsible for planning, economic development, gender and social affairs, health, environmental management, and more. Additionally, stakeholders from civil society, the private sector, media, academia, and regional organisations will contribute to the discussions, ensuring a comprehensive and inclusive dialogue.
According to the organising team, Africa is at a pivotal moment, with the potential to significantly advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063 from the ground up. The Forum is being organised as one that needs to shape the future of sustainable development across the region.
