Jordan ranks 4th in Arab world in implementing SDGs — report

AMMAN — Jordan ranked fourth in the Arab world in implementing the guidelines of national reporting platforms related to sustainable development goals (SDGs), according to a recent United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) report.

The report, titled “Arab National Reporting Platforms for the Sustainable Development Goals: Assessment”m stated that SDGs National Reporting Platforms (or NRPs) are “essential to help member countries achieve their national development goals” as well as being “crucial elements to monitor and report the progress towards achieving the SDGs at all levels”.

After analysing existing NRPs in ESCWA member states as at September 2020, the report placed Egypt in the first place with the highest implementation rate of 50 per cent, followed by Oman and Qatar with 45 per cent, then Jordan with 35 per cent.

 The rest of the countries were described as being “in the initial stages of NRP development with a 15 per cent implementation score.”

The SDG platforms of Egypt and Jordan were the only ones that had five options to download data, added the report.

“Reporting and disseminating information about the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is accompanied by major challenges in data and statistics. With one decade remaining until 2030, less than half of the Arab countries have platforms to report on the goals, and this hinders the process,” stated UNESCWA.

The official NRP for Jordan is identified as http://dosweb.dos.gov.jo/sdgs-draft/, which is run by the Department of Statistics (DoS).

Media officer in charge of statistics at the (DoS) Saeda Momani said that “since its establishment, the department has focused on participating in all international forums related to the statistical and economic aspect, which qualifies it to report on the SDG goals efficiently.”

In its report, ESCWA stated: “The inability to compile data within a unified basic system creates technical challenges, and even delays the progress of the sustainable development goals. Countries that fail to provide transparent and open data impede the aid process in regions that desperately need help.”

Momani stressed that the department has “invested in the comprehensive electronic transformation of collecting, disseminating and analysing data, figures and statistical indicators, as well as in implementing studies and surveys covering all aspects of economic, agricultural, environmental, social and demographic life in the Kingdom.”