The United Nations Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Nigeria Matthias Schmale, has commended the Sterling One Foundation for creating a platform to accelerate growth towards the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals across Africa. This was shared during the 2-day hybrid event held penultimate week in Abuja with about 4,000 registered delegates from 55 countries in attendance.
Giving a keynote address at the event on the theme, ‘Rethink, Rebuild, Recover, Accelerating Growth for the SDGs’, Schmale noted that the theme was apt, timely, relevant, and required given the economic regression across Africa occasioned by the pandemic, the volatilities caused by the Ukraine war and the fact there was just 8 years to go before 2030. He commended the leadership of the Sterling One Foundation stressing that there was need for intensive collaborations and partnerships among African leaders across the public and private sectors including the civil society groups to aid the achievement of not just the 2030 goals but also, the African Union’s 2063 goals.
Also speaking at the event, Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO, Sterling One Foundation, noted that the summit had in-depth and insightful panel sessions on climate action, education access and funding, primary healthcare, youth and gender empowerment, impact investment and governance which all give a good appreciation of the 17 interlinked global goals.