Implementing the SDG Stimulus: African Region

Like many countries, Ghana, Malawi and Uganda face challenges financing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and sustaining debt, despite comprehensive National Development Plans, advocacy efforts, and diverse funding bodies. This project investigated circumstances in both national and international finance systems to inform an UN-led SDG Stimulus plan that will enable and accelerate SDG project financing.  

Specifically, the project explored novel models that capture the synergistic impacts of SDG projects on national growth and financial returns, and a framework supporting Ghana, Malawi and Uganda to leverage funds while describing gaps and opportunities for novel financing. It synthesized the lessons between the three countries to identify pathways, challenges, and opportunities to inform the UN SDG Stimulus plan. The project used both quantitative and qualitative methods, and incorporated macroeconomic considerations, existing plans and ambitions, project pipeline information, and an overview of the funding landscape and gap. It concentrated focus on six key building blocks for achieving the SDGs, including: (1) education, gender and inequality; (2) health, well-being and demography; (3) energy decarbonization and sustainable industry; (4) sustainable food, land, water and oceans; (5) sustainable cities and communities; and (6) digital revolution for sustainable development.