Kampala: Ethiopia’s former Prime Minister and current Board Chair of AGRA, Hailemariam Dessalegn, emphasized that Africa must focus on enhancing its domestic capacity to address the growing gap in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

According to Ethiopian News Agency, Hailemariam delivered this message at the opening of the Eleventh Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-11) on April 9, 2025, in Kampala, Uganda. He addressed delegates gathered at the Speke Resort Convention Centre, highlighting that the continent is lagging in meeting the 2030 targets-a situation confirmed by numerous progress reports. Hailemariam pointed out, “The figures are very clear,” and stressed the importance of understanding the reasons behind this lag.