10 Jul 2024

Botswana has been commended for showing commitment to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) since their adoption in 2015.

Officiating at the second edition of Botswana Sustainability Week in Gaborone Tuesday, UN Resident Coordinator, Mr Zia Choudhury said the country had integrated SDGs into its national development planning, demonstrating clear alignment between global aspirations and local action.

He said SDGs were representation of a collective aspiration for a better world by 2030, a world free from poverty, with reduced inequalities and a healthy planet for future generations.

Highlighting some of the country’s progress towards the SDGs, Mr Choudhury said Botswana had made significant strides in poverty reduction, education and gender equality.

He said Botswana’s efforts towards conservation, particularly wildlife protection contributed significantly to the SDGs. UN resident coordinator said the country’s stable democracy and good governance practices aligned well with SDG 16 on Peace, Justice and Strong Institution.

He further described the second edition of the Botswana Sustainability Week as a gathering of leaders, innovators and change markers committed to advancing sustainability.

Mr Choudhury said the UN was fully committed to bringing diverse people together to work on development issues.

He said bringing together government, private sector, civil society and international partners was creating a platform for collaborative problem solving and innovative thinking.

Furthermore, Mr Choudhury said for the event to focus on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles was particularly relevant to SDGs implementation. “ESG provides a framework for businesses to contribute positively to sustainable development while also ensuring their long term viability.

Mr Choudhury also said the importance of good quality data cannot be overstated. “Accurate, reliable data is essential to measure progress, identify gaps and make informed decisions to achieve the SDGs,” he said.

As such, he said Botswana’s commitment to improving data collection and analysis was a crucial step.

“The UN in Botswana remains committed to supporting the country’s sustainable development journey. Through our Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework, we are working closely with the government and other partners to accelerate progress towards the SDGs,” said Mr Choudhury.

Meanwhile, Ms Lindiwe Modise, the Managing Director of Green Loop, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Consultants said her company was focused on assisting the public and private sector in developing, implementing and monitoring sustainability frameworks specific to mitigate impact on the environment.

She said the inaugural summit was held in partnership with the Ministry of Environment & Tourism to elaborate the meaning of Sustainability and Environmental Social Governance (ESG) to the public and private sector through unpacking the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Ms Modise said second edition was a continuation of a journey on climate change, focused on the theme, “Investing in ESG and sustainability: to align profitability with positive environmental and social impact.”

She said the three-day high level event would advocate for mind-set change, specifically advocating for environmental sustainability and rehabilitation.

Therefore, she said the summit must come up with valuable and measurable impacting resolutions that would influence organisational structures and strategies. ENDS