UN Resident Coordinator calls on the media to help drive the agenda on the SDGs

Mr Babatunde Ahonsi, the Resident Coordinator (RC) in Sierra Leone emphasized the importance of advocacy and communications to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, to members of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ).

Speaking at a session to discuss partnerships with the media on the SDGs last week, the RC stressed the UN’s commitment to ‘leave no one behind’, underscoring poverty eradication as an impetus towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. “We can end extreme poverty. It is not just a slogan, it is achievable,” said Mr Ahonsi. He indicated that to achieve this, a whole-of-society approach is required and emphasized the significance of the media’s role to amplify the efforts taken towards the SDGs using accurate data.

In the context of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the RC said that “The pace of progress needs to be picked up and we need to accelerate action.” He called for the focus to be on getting Sierra Leoneans to own the process and for SDG awareness to cascade, particularly among the youth. The RC also discussed with SLAJ opportunities that could be taken advantage of in the pursuit of setting the agenda on the SDGs. He emphasized that “as a key stakeholder, the SLAJ has a significant role to play in the realization of the SDGs” in Sierra Leone.

SLAJ President, Mr Ahmed Sahid reaffirmed Association’s strong desire to work with UN Sierra Leone in taking the SDGs to the people through various modalities. He also used the meeting to brief the RC on the 50th-anniversary commemoration for SLAJ. Also present at the meeting with SLAJ were the Heads of the Sierra Leone Reporters Union, the Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone, the Independent Radio Network, Veteran Journalists Union, Sierra Leone Court Reporters Association, Guild of Editors, and Women in the Media Sierra Leone.