By Juma Nsubuga
Government and the Economic Commission for Africa have inked a deal confirming Uganda as the next host of the upcoming 11th African Regional Forum for Sustainable Development.
The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem signed on behalf of Uganda government while Claver Gatete signed for Economic Commission on Africa and witnessed by the Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja.
After the signing ceremony held at the Office of the Prime Minister, Nabbanja informed the media that the 11th session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development the Forum will take place in Uganda from 9th -11th April 2025 at Common Wealth Resort hotel in Munyonyo.
She said the Theme of the meeting is “Driving job creation and economic growth through sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.”
She says the Forum will bring together over 1,500 participants, including 52 African Heads of State, Ministers, policymakers, and experts from across Africa and beyond.
The Premier explained that the African Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD) is an annual inter-governmental platform that is jointly convened by the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and the host government in collaboration with the African Development Bank and various United Nations system organizations.
Nabbanja said the Forum undertakes integrated follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Agenda 2063, dubbed “The Africa We Want” of the African Union.
“Both agendas provide a synergistic framework for achieving inclusive and people-centred sustainable development in the region” she added.
Nabbanja who is also the Kakumiro district Woman MP also revealed that President Museveni will officially open the event.
“The overall objective of the 11th session of the Africa Regional Forum is to conduct a regional follow-up and review of progress made, facilitate peer learning and advance sustainable, inclusive, science, evidence-based and data-driven solutions, and actions to dramatically increase economic growth, job creation and the pace and scale of implementation of the SDGs and Goals of Agenda 2063” she said.
The Prime Minister explained that the expected outcome of the Forum include,
achieving consensus on Africa’s priorities including sustainable, inclusive, science-and evidence-based solutions and actions to increase economic growth, job creation, and advance implementation of SDGs and Goals of Agenda 2063.
The priorities presented will also include action to follow-up on the Summit of the Future and Africa’s input to the Second World Summit on Social Development.
Others are to strengthen the capacity of the countries conducting voluntary national reviews in 2025 to undertake their reviews and present the review reports at the 2025 high-level political forum.
She further applauded Uganda Government and the Economic Commission for Africa led by the Executive Secretary Claver Gatete, development partners including the United Nations and the Local Development Partners Group the Civil Society Organizations and the Private Sector for the progress made so far towards the implementation of this Forum.
“I call upon more stakeholders to come on board and support the preparations for the eleventh session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development” she added.
Meanwhile, Gatete congratulated Uganda upon successfully hosting the G77+China and NAM meetings last year which he said was a great opportunity for Uganda to show that it has capacity for hosting continental and global meetings.
