The Permanent Mission of Eritrea to the United Nations hosted a side event at the UN on 17 July 2024 under the theme, “Empowerment for a Brighter and More Sustainable Future: Advancing SDGs 4, 5, and 6 for Quality Education, Gender Equality, and Access to Clean Water and Sanitation.”
Eritrea presented its 2nd Voluntary National Report (VNR) on the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on SDG 4 (Quality Education), SDG 5 (Gender Equality), and SDG 6 (Water and Sanitation) on 12 July 2024. This side event provided an opportunity for further engagement with member states, highlighting the interconnections between the 17 Goals, sharing best practices, and finding innovative solutions to address developmental challenges.
Mr. Hagos Ahmed, Director of the Population and Social Statistics Division at the National Statistics Office and local focal point for the VNR, discussed the VNR preparation methodology and process, including stakeholder engagement, data sources, and the scope of the VNR. Mr. Samsom Berhane, Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Finance and National Development, discussed the way forward for the successful implementation of the SDGs in the remaining period of the agenda.
Mr. Mesfin Mehari from the Ministry of Education addressed progress on SDG 4 (Quality Education), Ms. Yohanna Tewolde from the National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW) discussed SDG 5 (Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment), and Mr. Michael Yoseph from the Water Resource Department focused on SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation).
Ms. Nahla Valji, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Eritrea, shared her reflections on the work being done in Eritrea to advance the SDGs and the UN’s partnership with Eritrea.
Many member states attended the event, including officials from the African Union and the UN system. Under-Secretary-General Christian Duarte, Special Advisor on Africa to the Secretary-General, congratulated Eritrea on its achievements, as did many other participants.
Eritrea’s delegation to the UN High-Level Political Forum also conducted a virtual seminar with the Eritrean community in Canada, engaging in a lively interactive discussion on Eritrea’s development trajectory. The Eritrean Diaspora remains engaged and ready to contribute to Eritrea’s development.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Information, Eritrea.