Financing Health, Education and Green Water in Africa

 Kigali, 13.06.2019 – There is without doubt and urgent need for financing the SDGs in Africa. In Low Income Countries this gap is estimated to be in excess of 14% of GDP which is a financial burden developing countries are unable to bear on their own. These and other findings suggest that resources for the SDGs must come from a variety of resources, including national investments, the international community and private sector investments.

Innovative solutions were discussed during the second day of Pre-Conference sessions at SDGs Implementation in Africa – Reflections on a Three-Year Journey, organised by The Sustainable Development Goals Center for Africa (SDGC/A) and held in the Kigali Convention Centre from 12^th -14^th June.

Following a plenary session with input from Dr. Begashaw, Director General of the SDGC/A, and H.E. Hon. Chief Jewel Howard-Taylor, who both highlighted the challenges and opportunities on the continent, and Africa’s potential which can be unleashed by finding innovative tools that can accelerate the continent’s development, participants actively engaged in three session. Those sessions focused on three major challenges faced in African countries – Financing Health, Education and Green Water. The SDGC/A proposed the creation of African Global Funds to source financial resources for implementing projects focusing on improving the quality of education, providing universal health care and ensuring food security through rainfed agricultural solutions.

The breakout sessions, informed by presentations through the SDGC/A team, saw high profile panellists sharing experience and reflecting on the proposed Funds. All participants were invited, and actively engaged in fruitful discussions, which allowed for direct knowledge exchange of members of government, international organisations, CSOs, Research and Academia.