Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Agok Makur. (Photo: Awan Moses).

The National Ministry of Finance and Planning said it will conduct the first Voluntary National Review on progress made in attaining the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Deputy Finance Minister Agok Makur said the review will focus on SDG targets including zero hunger, good health and wellbeing, quality education, and climate change mitigation.

Others are peace, justice and strong institutions, gender equality, decent work and economic growth and Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure.

Makur said the review will enable the country to prepare a report on SDG to the high-level forum in New York in July this year.

He encouraged citizens to be engaged in the national review process and the implementation of the SDGs.

“The purpose of this launch is to enable the country to prepare the report on SDG to the upcoming high level political forum on sustainable development goals in New York July,” he said in a press briefing in Juba on Tuesday.

“I encourage all the citizens to stay focused on the ongoing awareness on the media so that each and every one can be engaged in the voluntary national review process and the implementation of the SDGs.”

Voluntary National Review is a process through which countries assess and present national progress made in implementing the 2030 Agenda.

The purpose is to present a snapshot of where the country stands in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals.

This is to help accelerate progress through experience sharing, peer-learning, identifying gaps and good practices, and mobilizing partnerships.

According to the UN office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, South Sudan currency depreciation has caused severe hunger for around 6 million people between December 2023 and March 2024 as food prices rise by 19% in the country.

The report said some 5.78 million were projected to be at risk of experiencing high levels of severe food insecurity during that period.