Morocco among 6 Arab countries to have achieved 60% of the UN’s SDGs

A report released today by the World Government Summit Organization, titled The Arab Region Sustainable Development Index 2022, ranks Morocco among 6 Arab countries to have achieved 60% of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The countries in question are Jordan, Tunisia, the UAE, Algeria, Morocco, and Oman.

As the deadline for implementing the UN’s SDGs is fast approaching, pressure is mounting around the Arab world to get as much done as possible. But the situation remains dire.

The report identified significant differences between Arab countries in many social and economic indicators, with key common weaknesses in two main SDGs: “Gender Equality,” described in the report as “the most important challenge in the region,” and “Zero Hunger.” Other SDGs where Arab countries share commonalities are “decent work and economic growth, good health and well-being, and clean water and sanitation.

The report underlines the necessity to draft country-specific policies and solutions because of the differences and variations that countries recorded in other SDGs. Nevertheless, there are many common positive trends across the region, as pointed out in the report, notably in education, clean energy, and climate change.

According to the World Government Summit Organization, one of the main issues faced when assessing the progress made in different Arab countries is the gaps in data needed to measure the SDG indicators, especially when evaluating the distribution of income and wealth.

As a solution, the report recommends investing in more resources to provide data and enable experts to plan well and make data science-based decisions.