By Richard Sultan
South Sudan will not meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) on zero hunger, good health and quality education set by the United Nations as it has not invested towards its achievement, JaniKa Walter, the Deputy German Ambassador to the African Nation said.
“With only nine years left before 2030, there is no way the government can achieve the SDG 2030 goals unless it starts doing things beyond the ordinary,” Walter said the commemoration of the International Youth Day in Juba under the theme “Youth Innovation for a resilient South Sudan.”
To get on the right footing, South Sudan must ensure it includes its youths in all developmental plans, Walter said.
“The only option now is to prepare our youths for the future since we have failed to prepare the future for them and that can only be achieved by supporting their innovative ideas,” she said.
Janika urged the youths to ensure they be part of the solutions to problems in South Sudan.
The Deputy Resident Coordinator for United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Christy Anenkora described as a pity, the continuous reliance of South Sudan on imports for all its needs.
“South Sudan has a suitable environment for growth of rice and abundant livestock among others which with a little bit of innovation in it by the youthful population of the country will create endless opportunities within the country instead of being immigrants and destitute in foreign countries,” Anenkora said.
She said UNDP is championing youth innovation in South Sudan in partnership with the support of the German and Dutch governments.
The SDGs are a list of 17 goals to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all by 2030.
193 countries together at the United Nations adopted and committed to a long-term, comprehensive strategy to tackle the world’s greatest challenges related to global sustainable development in September 2015 which gave birth to the above goals which South Sudan is a member.
