S. African ruling party welcomes adoption of SDGs

South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) on Monday welcomed the adoption of the new global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly.

"We welcome the adoption of the SDGs by the international community; as well as the affirmation in the declaration of different national realities, capacities and levels of development of respective countries," said ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa.

The SDGs set out a new ambitious and transformational global agenda that gives attention to the voices of the world's poorest and most vulnerable.

The global vision of the 17 SDGs align with the ANC's vision of a National Democratic Society contained in the ANC Strategy and Tactics, which were amended and adopted at the 53rd National Conference in 2012, ANC national spokesperson Zizi Kodwa said.

The SDGs further align with the progressive, people-centered and people-driven transformative agenda of the ANC, he said.

The SDGs are integrated and indivisible and balance the three dimensions of sustainable development -- the economic, social and the environmental -- and form part of the 2030 Agenda For Sustainable Development.

They include the eradication of poverty and hunger, ensuring access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy, the building of safe, resilient and sustainable human settlements, the protection of ecosystems, and achieving gender equality and empowerment of women and girls.

The SDGs address the unfinished business of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) adopted 15 years ago.

Led by the ANC, the South African government has made considerable progress towards the attainment of the MDGs, said Kodwa.

As far back as 2010, the annual MDG report noted that South Africa has attained the goal of universal primary education before the targeted date of 2015.

Since 1994, South Africa has also become known internationally for surpassing expectations in terms of common measures of gender equality.

"That we as a developing country have made such good progress in the attainment of the MDGs, despite having one of the highest Ginicoefficients in the world - is testimony to the success of the pro-poor policies advanced by the ANC," said Kodwa.

The ANC notes that although there has been progress in the attainment of the MDGs, this has been largely uneven: particularly for developing countries, he said.

"We will continue to strive for a more equitable South African society through the strengthening and deepening of democracy, the pursuit of economic growth and the advancement of a developmental redistribution program in pursuit of a better life for all," Kodwa said.

The South African government has endorsed the transformative post-2015 Development Agenda "without any reservations", President Jacob Zuma said earlier.

The triple challenge of poverty, unemployment and inequality that the development agenda seeks to address is the primary focus of the South African government and people, Zuma said. Enditem