Drive Ambition, Deliver Dignity: UN Deputy Chief at the Africa Regional Collaborative Platform

UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed called for greater ambition and leadership from African countries at her annual dialogue with Regional Directors of UN entities, at the Africa Regional Collaborative Platform’s (RCP) meeting held last week in Addis Ababa.

This year’s dialogue, held on the sidelines of the 10th Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, aimed not only to discuss the challenges faced across the continent, but also to identify opportunities and forge clear pathways for accelerating progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. 

Ms. Mohammed emphasized the need to ensure that every African can live a life of dignity, supported by a collective and transformative approach by the UN, tailored to the unique and diverse needs of countries.

“People often say the 2030 Agenda is too ambitious and too much, but I look at it and think this is the basis that you should have to respond to a life of dignity,” she said. 

The Africa RCP serves as a continent-wide platform, where UN regional entities converge to address challenges that extend beyond individual mandates and national borders. Members of the Platform  delved into a range of broader and more interconnected issues such as climate action, food systems, peace and security , aligning with the goal of crafting a more responsive UN to navigate the complexities of today’s world. The meeting was moderated by Yacoub El-Hillo, the Regional Director for Africa of the UN Development Coordination Office.

Caption: The Africa RCP offers UN regional entities an opportunity to address challenges that extend beyond individual UN entity mandates and national borders to drive impactful SDG implementation.

Photo: © UN / Daniel Getachew

One of the two Vice Chairs of the Africa RCP, Under-Secretary-General Claver Gatete, who is the Executive Secretary of the UN Economic Commission for Africa, highlighted that the RCP serves as an opportunity for internal reflection within the UN system, enabling us to collectively assess how we collaborate and prioritize actions that truly drive progress towards achieving the SDGs. 

One significant response that emerged was the role of data in streamlining SDG implementation. The availability and quality of data affect all aspects of sustainable development, as it helps make informed decisions, formulate effective policies, and design targeted interventions. 

The Deputy Secretary-General pointed out a noted delay in achieving the SDGs, due to the lack of reliable data. “We are falling behind on SDGs. It is difficult to know how far […] because the baselines - the data - are not here,” she said, highlighting the crucial role of the Africa RCP members in enhancing the availability of baseline data.

The Africa RCP has already demonstrated notable progress in this area, as seen in Sudan, where disruptions to regular UN structures prompted a technical team, facilitated by the Africa RCP, to ensure continuity of data collection and availability for post-conflict development planning. Furthermore, discussions highlighted the importance of building the data analysis capacity of African countries, with an emphasis on engaging new actors.

The imperative of “staying and delivering” was another significant theme. Regional Directors of UN entities emphasized the UN’s commitment to maintaining its presence and continuing its sustainable development efforts in crisis-affected regions, rather than withdrawing during challenging times.

Caption: During the Africa RCP annual dialogue, DSG Ms. Amina Mohammed was joined by ECA Executive Secretary Claver Gatete, UNDP Regional Director Ahunna Eziakonwa, and DCO Regional Director for Africa Yacoub El-Hillo, on the sidelines of the Africa Regional Forum for Sustainable Development, that took place in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, between 23 and 25 April.

Photo: © UN / Daniel Getachew

The other Vice Chair of the Africa RCP, Assistant Secretary-General Ahunna Eziakonwa, who is the Regional Director for Africa of the UN Development Programme, stressed the importance of ensuring that  young people in particular are empowered to lead productive lives despite ongoing crises.  

“You cannot put a pause on development. We must do everything we can to continue engagement, even when politically delicate,” said Ms. Eziakonwa. 

To accelerate progress towards the SDGs and the AU Agenda 2063, robust investments are essential. Specifically, the discussion highlighted the critical importance of leveraging support from the private sector for the global goals. 

The participants discussed the need for increased financial support and resources for Africa to effectively address climate change, with a special focus on supporting women who are often more severely impacted by environmental changes.

Under-Secretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder for Policy helped contextualize this in view of the upcoming Summit of the Future, which presents a unique opportunity to move towards a reinvigorated multilateral system. He sounded the alarm that Africa’s current involvement in the negotiation phase of the Pact for the Future falls short of what the issues warrant and what Africa stands to benefit from, advocating for a more action-oriented and ambitious Pact for the Future.

This year’s meeting was also attended by Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Felipe Paullier, who emphasized the imperative of collaborative efforts across borders and mandates, with a keen focus on the voices of African youth.

Africa RCP members underscored the importance of amplifying Africa’s voice both in the lead-up to the Summit and beyond, as an opportunity for the UN development system to unite and deliver impactful results.