UNITED NATIONS - The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) officially entered into force on Jan. 1, 2016, meaning that its implementation is now simply "at a very early stage," but the progress by the global efforts to carry out the universal development goals "is very encouraging," a senior UN official told Xinhua.
Wu Hongbo, the UN under-secretary-general for the economic and social affairs, said in a recent interview that "many countries have already started delivering the 2030 Agenda at home, taking concrete steps and initiatives to set the implementation of the Agenda on solid ground domestically."
The 2030 Agenda, including its 17 SDGs, was approved by world leaders in September 2015 to serve as the blueprint for the global development efforts for the years leading up to 2030. The Agenda is also a plan for achieving a better future for all -- laying out a path over the next 15 years to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and protect our planet.
"Many countries have already showed impressive ownership of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs," he said. "Less than one year after the adoption of the Agenda, they have devoted considerable time and resources in analysing the implications of the 2030 Agenda and the relation between the sustainable development goals and targets and their national priorities; in putting in place consultation and coordination processes around the SDGs; in integrating the SDGs into their national strategies, plans and budget processes; and in setting up monitoring and evaluation systems." (Xinhua)