Ghana
Input to Questionnaire related to the development of Sustainable Development Goals
The Rio outcome document states that the SDGs should be limited in
number, and at the same time focus on priority areas for the achievement of
sustainable development.
1. Please list a limited number, preferably between five and ten, of the
important priority areas that must be addressed through the SDGs to
contribute to the achievement of sustainable development.
• Increase access to modern energy services( lighting inclusive)
• Reduce poverty/hunger: Include targets for reducing food insecurity
• Increase percentage of local content in foreign direct investment :
develop indicators for local content in .
• Corporate Social responsibilities
• Expand MDG 7 to include targets and indicators for natural resources
conservation
• Increase of the share of manufacturing sectors in GDP. (setting
targets in %)
• Develop a goal for the Transport and Roads sector: (availability of
roads to rural farming areas. Target Density and motorability of
roads to be increased in rural areas for easy accessibility and select
indicators for this)
• Increase decent employment: employment rate used as a major macro
economic indicator. ( measures should be put in place to achieve
labour statistics )
• Recycle wastes: increase waste collection and reuse and recovering.
(Collection targets set in %)
• Develop goal and targets for green housing and architectural
development
The SDGs “should address and incorporate in a balanced way all three
dimensions of sustainable development and their interlinkages. They should
be coherent with and integrated into the United Nations development
agenda beyond 2015, thus contributing to the achievement of sustainable
development and serving as a driver for implementation and mainstreaming
of sustainable development in the United Nations system as a whole. The
development of these goals should not divert focus or effort from the
achievement of the Millennium Development Goals” (The Future We Want,
paragraph 246).
2. How might the SDGs strive to balance the economic, social and
environmental pillars of sustainable development?
Integrate the MDGs, suitably modified/updated for post-2015, into a larger
sustainable development framework
The SDGs must be “global in nature and universally applicable to all
countries while taking into account different national realities, capacities
and levels of development and respecting national policies and
priorities” (The Future We Want, paragraph 247).
3. Based on your experience with MDGs or other existing goals, what
would be the key use of SDGs for your country (select at most two)?
a. Defining national policies
b. Addressing key pressure leading to unsustainability.
4. How can “universally applicable” SDGs be made practically relevant
for countries at different levels of development? (Please refer to your
country’s situation as appropriate.)
• Countries in transition (CITs) should be supported to translate
universally applicable SDGs into specific and appropriate national
goals.
• Countries in less developed or developing countries should be
supported to prioritize their own development goals and seek to
deliver on them.
5. The SDGs are supposed to be “global in nature”. Should targets
associated with those goals be:
SDGs should be common to all countries
The SDGs must be based on Agenda 21 and the Johannesburg Plan of
Implementation, fully respect all the Rio Principles, build upon
commitments already made, and contribute to the implementation of the
outcomes of all major summits in the economic, social and environmental
fields (The Future We Want, paragraph 246).
6. Which existing goals and targets (e.g., MDGs, goals/targets in
Agenda 21, JPOI) do you think should be incorporated – perhaps in
updated form – in a proposal for sustainable development goals?
Prioritize aspects of the Agenda 21 and MDG(s) and JPoI and base them on
the goals identified set in question 1 above.
The SDGs “should be coherent with and integrated into the United Nations
development agenda beyond 2015”. (The Future We Want, paragraph 246)
7. What specific steps can be taken to ensure that the SDGs are
coherent with and integrated into the UN development agenda beyond
2015?
• Consultations should be made at the global level
• Encourage working groups that consist developing countries
• Embed goals in specific UN agencies for implementation with
synergies.( The UNGA should take steps and instruct agencies to
make sure there is coordination, coherence and synergy amongst
themselves to support the achievement of these goals)
• Ensure that capitals are appropriately and actively represented in
international discussions leading to the firm up of these goals after
2015.
“We recognize that progress towards the achievement of the goals needs to
be assessed and accompanied by targets and indicators, while taking into
account different national circumstances, capacities and levels of
development.” (The Future We Want, paragraph 250).
8. How should assessments of progress toward the achievement of the
SDGs be carried out at the global level?
The Open Working Group to be constituted involving member states and
major groups must as a first step meet to decide the parameters for
assessment of progress. Submit these parameters to the High Level Forum
that would replace the UNCSD for discussion and acceptance by all.
Subsequently let the Expert Working Group, on a yearly basis, assess
progress on national, regional and global levels and present report to the
High Level Forum. The High Level should hold back to back with the the
experts to discuss the challenges that are encountered at every level of
implementation. The plenary discussions must engage all ….UN system,
member states, major groups etc
“The Future We Want” states that at the outset the Open Working Group
will decide on its methods of work, “including developing modalities to
ensure the full involvement of relevant stakeholders and expertise from
civil society, the scientific community and the United Nations system
… .” (para 248)
9. What measures should be taken to make the process of developing a
proposal for SDGs inclusive and participatory? How should civil
society and other relevant stakeholders be engaged?
Give all major groups a dedicated forum to come out with their own ideas
and match these with those of member states. CSO often do not have
sufficient expression when placed together with governments.
10. What principles should underpin the development of the SDGs?
(the UN TT report, for example, recommended adding (i) reducing
inequalities and (ii) promoting human rights (iii) ensuring
sustainability);
The Rio principles of 1992 are still the most relevant guiding principles for
sustainable development and may still underpin the development of the
SDGs.
11. How should a new Global Partnership for Development be
constructed within or around the SDGs?
A new global partnership for development can be constructed based on
earlier commitments and agreements reached in earlier UN Summits,
Conferences and other related international meetings. The way forward with
the SDGs is the means of implementation for developing countries. Without
doubt, bilateral efforts would be instrumental this time around because of
the financial melt down in many developed countries.
12. Do you have any other observations, ideas or inputs you would like
to offer to inform the initial work of the open working group on
sustainable development goals?
Firm initial consultations are key and these must be comprehensive with the
active participation of the capitals who are best placed to advise on many
on-the- ground practicalities.
Submitted by
Rudolph S. Kuuzegh
UNCSD Focal Point
