Only 15% of SDGs are on track to be achieved by 2030 – ITU Secretary-General

Secretary-General, International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Doreen Bogdan-Martin, has disclosed that only 15 percent of the UN Sustainable Development Goals are on track to be achieved by 2030.

According to her, achieving these targets can be accelerated with digital technologies which can enhance progress on about 70% of these targets if well harnessed responsibly.

Delivering remarks virtually at the just ended 2023 Sustainability Forum organised by ICT giant Huawei, the ITU Secretary-General indicated that to meet this challenge and opportunity, collaborative efforts must be made on two key areas of action: universal connectivity and sustainable digital transformation.

“Commitments like these have galvanized us to set a new target US$100 billion for meaningful connectivity and sustainable digital transformation globally by 2026. We cannot let our guards down now, not when 1/3 of humanity is still offline. We have to be bold, and we have to be ambitious, and we have to be inclusive, welcoming all voices and all perspectives, including that of young people,” Doreen Bogdan-Martin said.

She, however, lauded Huawei for its contributions to ITU’s radiocommunications, standardization, and development as well as its commitment to ITU's mission.

Meanwhile, Ghana’s first lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo on her part emphasized on the importance of making significant strides in advocating for sustainability across various sectors of the economy.

She cited the energy sector as an area that Ghana has excelled in West Africa with the establishment of a floating Hydro Solar Hybrid plant as part of efforts in diversifying the country’s energy mix.

The first Lady of Ghana also commended Huawei for its relentless contributions, efforts and projects aimed at stimulating the Ghanaian economy particularly in the digital space.

“Together, we have worked tirelessly in building the skills capacity of females in rural areas. Over 6,000 students and traders have been trained in a period of two years and my Office is grateful for this collaboration with Huawei,” Rebecca Akufo-Addo expressed.

Dr. Liang Hua, Huawei Board Chairman said the next-generation of digital infrastructure such as connectivity and computing power are critical to driving socio-economic development like physical infrastructure.

He noted that this new infrastructure will be vital to sustainable development for all of society.

"Computing is a core driver of productivity in the digital economy. Faster rollout of computing infrastructure will help speed up digital transition in many industries, and promote deeper integration of the digital and real economies. This can further promote global economic stability and sustainable development," he added.

MA/NOQ