2 March 2018: Participants at the Sub Regional Coordination Mechanism (SRCM) for North Africa agreed on a joint roadmap to support implementation of the SDGs in Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia. The draft 2018-2019 regional roadmap focuses on SDG 2 (zero hunger) and SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth), among other SDGs.

Representatives from 24 UN organizations, international organizations and funding institutions attended the annual SRCM for North Africa, which took place from 1-2 March in Rabat, Jordan. The meeting focused on sharing experiences with SDG implementation in the North Africa region, and discussed opportunities for improving coordination and synergies.

To support increased understanding of the SDGs and their implementation, Director of the UNECA Office for North Africa Lilia Hachem Naas recommended a concerted regional effort that responds to both regional issues and national priorities.

According to the UN Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), many regional actors have limited knowledge of the SDGs. Director of the UNECA Office for North Africa Lilia Hachem Naas noted that, to date, “few individuals, communities, national or local institutions have taken ownership of the SDGs.” She observed that, when coordination mechanisms for SDG implementation exist, “they are only partially operational.” To support increased understanding of the SDGs and their implementation, Hachem Naas recommended a concerted regional effort that responds to both regional issues of common interest to countries and national priorities.

Participants identified several SDGs as high priority for the region, including SDG 2, SDG 5 (gender equality), SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation), SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy), SDG 8, SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) and SDG 13 (climate action). The roadmap emphasizes the importance of gender as a cross-cutting dimension, and stresses the importance of decent jobs for youth and women.

The draft 2018-2019 regional roadmap focuses on improving regional actors’ understanding and implementation of the SDGs. The roadmap calls for including the SDGs in public policies, building statistical capacity in the region, ensuring follow-up and review on SDG implementation and seizing additional opportunities for South-South cooperation. [UNECA Press Release] [SRCM Webpage]