Ghana has begun preparations to participate in the Voluntary National Review in July 2019 during the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development.
According to the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), the lead national agency for the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals in the country, Ghana’s VNR report will focus on the national policy and regulatory environment for the SDGs and the Agenda 2063 and the status and progress of implementation of all the 17 Goals. As a cross cutting theme, the review will also capture how well the youth has been engaged in the SDGs, the concept of “Leave no one behind” to assess the level of inclusiveness and the synergies across the goals.
The NDPC plans a robust process of preparations to involve the academia, Civil Society Organisations, the United Nations, Development Partners and the private sector.
During a media launch in Accra to formally announce Ghana’s VNR participation in 2019, the Minister for Planning, Prof. George Gyan-Baffour asked that the UN System in the country supports the process. He also called on the media to strengthen advocacy around the SDGs implementation. A key concern for the government is the low level of awareness around the SDGs among the general public and the role of the media in addressing this gap was highlighted.
The UN Resident Coordinator a.i. Ms. Sylvia Lopez-Ekra assured the government of the UN’s continuous technical support to ensure a successful completion of the review and the full achievement of the SDGs.