Implementing the SDGs in the Time of Covid-19

May 14, 2020

The coronavirus outbreak has caused unprecedented and serious challenges throughout the world, including Africa. The pandemic has barely reached the sub-Saharan Africa, about 1% of all cases reported globally. However, the Continent will most likely be disproportionately affected by the pandemic due to its vulnerabilities, causing grave concern over the growing loss of human lives and the significant economic and social impacts of the crisis on the continent. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals, adopted by all UN Nations Member States in 2015, provides a shared and sustainable blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. More specifically to the African Continent, Covid-19 experience highlights the value and need to embed wellbeing and socio-economic resilience in Africa’s development in line with the goals and targets of Agenda 2063 and SDGs. COVID19 also reaffirms the importance of regional cooperation to harness both technical and financial resources for the collective development and transformation. Covid-19 reinforced the need for stronger global and regional partnerships if the SDGs are to be fully achieved and to build resilience to social, economic and environmental shocks. Significant steps have been already made in terms of improving life quality and standards. However, the most common opinion is that the SDGs have not been successful for developing countries especially for Africa, since several goals were not met by 2015.

Speakers
Lade Araba
Managing Director, Africa, Convergence
Ladé Araba is a senior development finance professional with over 17 years of experience. She is the Managing Director for Africa at Convergence Finance. She previously served as Technical Adviser to the former Minister of Finance of Nigeria and was the Head of the Strategic Monitoring Unit. She was also an Adviser in the Power Sector Team at the Nigeria Infrastructure Advisory Facility (NIAF), a Technical Assistance Program funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID). Prior to NIAF, Ladé was Technical Adviser to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) where she advised on the building blocks for financing regional infrastructure projects and promoting intra-African trade. She was formerly a Senior Investment Of ...
Martin Bwalya
Head, Industrialization Division, AUDA-NEPAD
Currently, Head, Industrialisation Division in the African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD) – African Union’s Technical Implementing Agency - is a Machinery Design and Machine Management Engineer by training. Has worked many years in machinery design, specialising in research-and-development of farm reduced tillage equipment within the context of conservation agriculture. Has since 2000, worked in several international organisations in the field of development, in general, and agriculture, food systems and nutrition, in particular. Joined the then NEPAD Agency in 2008 as lead specialist on Sustainable land and water management, moving on to Head the Comprehensive Africa Agric19ulture Development Programme (CAADP) – Africa’s continental framework for agricultural transform ...
Mohammed Elrazzaz
Expert, Business Development and Employability, Union for the Mediterranean
Mohammed Elrazzaz is a Barcelona-based Egyptian expert. He joined the Secretariat of the Union for the Mediterranean in 2013, first working for Cabinet before moving to the Business Development and Employment Division, where he handles Social, Digital and Creative Economy. He had worked for the Commercial International Bank (CIB) Egypt for 10 years as Financial Analyst and Head of Investor Relations. Mr. Elrazzaz is also a Professor of Mediterranean Heritage at the International University of Catalonia (UIC) in Barcelona since 2010. He holds a BA in Economic Studies and an MA in Humanities. ...
Landry Signé
Senior Fellow
Professor Landry Signé is Senior Fellow at Policy Center for the New South. He is also a Professor and Senior Director at the Thunderbird School of Global Management, where he co-founded and is leading the Fourth Industrial Revolution and Globalization 4.0 Center and co-leading the Washington DC Regional Center of Excellence. He is also a Senior Fellow in the Global Economy and Development Program at the Brookings Institution, Distinguished Fellow at Stanford University, Chairman of the Global Network for Africa's Prosperity, Senior Adviser to top global leaders (presidential, ministerial, and C-suite levels) in business, policy, and international affairs. In addition, he has been on numerous boards and councils including for the World Economic Forum, the United Nations, Ampio ...
Mouhamadou Moustapha Ly
Economist, African Department of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Currently economist within the African Department of the International Monetary Fund in Washington DC, where he works on East African economies on various macroeconomic policy subjects and surveillance, he is also an affiliate professor of economics at Mohamed-6 Polytechnic university in Rabat (Morocco). Prior to that, Mouhamadou was senior economist at the Policy Center for the New South in Rabat (Morocco) working on development related issues and regional integration in the African continent. Mouhamadou also spent several years as assistant professor at Gaston Berger university in Saint-Louis (Senegal) and a lecturer at Auvergne university (France) and City university (London). He also worked as research fellow at the African Center for Statistics in the United Nations Econo ...

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