Making global goals Samoa’s own

By Sarafina Sanerivi 18 March 2016, 12:00AM

Members of Parliament are committed to play their part to help Samoa achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (S.D.Gs).

This was the general consensus after a training session on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals at the Faleata Sports Complex. 

The session was the culmination of a three-day, post-election programme organised to ease Member of Parliaments into their new roles.

U.N.D.P Resident Representative, Lizbeth Cullity, spoke about the importance of the S.D.Gs yesterday.

“The S.D.G’s are a universal call to end poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and tackle climate change by 2013,” she said, adding that the 17 goals are set to guide the development decisions and policies of all countries for the next 15 years.

Among the presentations yesterday was one by the Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peseta Noumea Simi, who spoke about “Supporting the Global S.D.G initiative from the Samoa Government Perspective”.

John Hyde, a consultant for Anti-Corruption from the U.N.D.P-U.N.O.D.C, spoke about the importance of good governance.

“Gender equality and Corruption, are two goals where people see as cross cutting,” he said. “Even if climate change is your number one priority, if you don’t have corruption prevention and justice, you won’t be having the benefit of climate change being shared by everyone.”

He reminded the M.P’s that Parliamentary engagement in implementing the 17 goals is vital in every country.

“All the countries came together and signed on to the S.D.G’s,” he said.“The only compulsion now is that each country must implement its own national plan on the S.D.G so now it’s all about what you do in your own country. And the Parliaments have a key role and should be involved.”

Other presenters included Chief Executive officer of the Ministry of Finance, Lavea Tupa’imatuna Iulai Lavea, who focused on the S.D.G 1, which is ending poverty in all its form. 

Suisala Mele Maualaivao, UN Women Samoa Country Programme Coordinator presented on the SDG 5 which is achieving gender equality and empower all women and girls. 

The last presenter was Suluimalo Amataga Penaia, the Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment. 

By Sarafina Sanerivi 18 March 2016, 12:00AM
Samoa Observer

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