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Nesia Mhaka Herald Correspondent
Government has taken an integrated approach on engaging in public-private partnerships in the implementation of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).

This was said by Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare permanent secretary Mr Simon Masanga at the inception workshop for the implementation of SDGs Progress Report held in Harare on Tuesday.

The workshop was running under the theme ‘‘living no-one behind’’.

“The implementation and achievement of targets under SDGs remains every stakeholders’ task,” he said. “There is need for Government ministries and departments, the private sector, civil society and development partners to ingrain SDGs as part of their daily work and to establish synergies in the implementation and coordination of SDGs.

“As such we expect line ministries to up their game and invest a lot more time and effort in implementing SDGs. SDGs should be mainstreamed into our everyday work. A lot of sensitisation of stakeholders is therefore required.”

Mr Masanga said the SDGs were aimed at eliminating extreme poverty, building partnerships and spurring economic growth around the world.

“Remember, SDGs are about improving the human well-being as it has to do with the planet, people, prosperity, peace and partnerships,” he said.

“We all have a role to play and play we must. As your national coordinators we are ready for the task at hand.

“It is imperative to remind ourselves that 193-member states of the United Nations adopted the 2030 Development Agenda and the 17 SDGs in September 2015 when the Millennium Development Goals ended.

“In general, the private sector provides nine out of 10 jobs in developing countries and has a very important role to play in achieving SDGs and solving global challenges.”

Speaking at the same occasion, the Consultant of SDGs report Mr Prosper Chitambara said sustainable development was at the core of the nation’s development priorities.

“Government is following the ‘whole of society’ approach in carrying out the task of SDGs implementation by involving various stakeholders including CSOs, unions, youths, women’s organisations and the private sector among others,” he said.

“Nevertheless, the global SDGs Index and Dashboards Report if 2019, ranks Zimbabwe at number 121 out of 195 countries in terms of progress towards the implementation of SDGs with a score of 59,7 percent.”