Officials addressing the National Forum
The Sustainable Development Council (SDC) convened a National Forum to discuss Sri Lanka’s current progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals on August 27.
The Forum was attended by secretaries to ministries, heads of key government institutions, international development partners, selected private sector representatives, civil society members, and the academia
Presenting the updated Sri Lanka SDG Dashboard featuring data from2023-2024, the Director General of SDC, Chamindry Saparamadu, highlighted that through an analysis of 204 indicators, it is seen that Sri Lanka has made progress on SDG 03 on Good Health and Well-being, on SDG 07 on Affordable and Clean Energy, on SDG 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals in 2024 as compared to 2023. However, the progress on SDG 04 on Quality Education, SDG 06 on Clean Water and Sanitation have experienced some set-backs as compared to 2023 while Sri Lanka has faced additional challenges and regressive trends relating to SDG 14 on Life Below Water as compared to 2023.
The DG-SDC further highlighted that at the current pace, if continued, Sri Lanka would be able to achieve 24 SDG targets by 2030, while efforts are needed to accelerate pace of progress on 71 others to achieve them by 2030. And, at the current pace, Sri Lanka will not be able to achieve 31 SDG targets by 2030.
Delivering the Opening remarks, the Additional Secretary to the President, Chandima Wickramasinghe highlighted that there is an urgent need for economic transformation in Sri Lanka as the global economic, political and environmental landscape continues to evolve and present new interconnected challenges. She further claimed that the government is continuing to work on recovery measures that were stimulated by the crisis but remain vital for Sri Lanka’s long-term development goals.
Delivering the Key Note Remarks, the Secretary to the Prime Minister, Anura Dissanayake emphasised that in today’s interconnected world, the integration of SDGs into the fabric of both public and private sector operations, decision making processes and long-term strategies is no longer optional; but it is essential as the integration not only fosters responsible practices but also amplifies the social and environmental benefits that are vital to our collective future. He further emphasized that as the world approaches the 2030 deadline, addressing economic, social, and environmental challenges in tandem is the only effective path forward. This requires keeping sustainable development at the forefront of the national development agenda.
The Forum also featured a session where a diverse group of experts were invited to share insights on SDG accelerator pathways in Sri Lanka. Amongst the participants in this session were Dr. Palitha Maheepala, Secretary to the Ministry of Health, Dr. Dushni Weerakoon, the Executive Director of the Institute of Policy Studies, Bingumal Thewarathanthri, Chairperson, Sri Lanka Bank’s Association, Mr. Rathika de Silva, the Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Sri Lanka, Nishshanka de Silva, Founder of the Zero Plastic Movement, as well as representatives from Sri Lanka’s bilateral and multilateral partners. The discussion examined crucial sectors, such as the banking sector, private sector and health sector, and how their priorities, strategies and initiatives can accelerate SDG achievement in Sri Lanka. The Forum promoted a holistic approach to the SDGs and identified areas for cooperation and alignment to ensure that all partners continue to work positively as part of their commitment to sustainable development.
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