Separate unit formed for implementing SDGs 2030, CM tells UNDP team

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said the sustainable development goals (SDGs) 2030 will be implemented in letter and spirit for which a separate unit has been established in the Planning and Development Department of the provincial government.

He was speaking in a meeting with a United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) delegation on Friday. The two sides discussed the implementation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) to address the issues of poverty and hunger, and the provision of best health care, quality education, clean water and sanitation facilities in the province.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Social Welfare Sajid Jokhio, law adviser Murtaza Wahab, MPAs Pir Mujeeb, Qasim Soomro, Finance Secretary Sajid Jamal Abro, Chief Economist P&D Asghar Memon and other government officials. The UNDP delegation, led by its Resident Representative Knut Ostby, consisted of Ammara Durrani, Umer Khaliq, Sajjid Ghani, Moin Zaidi, Zafar Qureshi and Shujaa Hakim.

With the support of UNDP, the chief minister said, the Sindh government was committed to achieving 17 goals as part of the SDGs in the province by 2030. The goals include poverty reduction, zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, quality education, gender equality, clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth, industry, innovation, and infrastructure, reduced inequality, sustainable cities and clean energy, responsible consumption, and production, climate action, life below water, life on land, peace, justice and strong institution, and partnership for the goals.

The CM and UNDP representatives discussed each and every goal and showed commitment to achieve them in letter and spirit. He said the provincial Parliamentary Task Force on SDGs had been engaged, which had held consultative sessions on focused legislation, policy and planning, and budgeting and oversight for those goals.

In order to strengthen the capacity of the government's departments for operationalisation of the SDGs Framework, the P&D Department had organized consultative workshops, he noted. The chief minister and the UNDP delegation agreed to keep reviewing the implementation process and pace of every SDG goal in the province.