Civil society actors, development partners and government agencies have met in Kampala to assess Uganda's progress on key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as the 2030 deadline draws closer.
The meeting, held at Ministers Village Hotel on Tuesday, focused on SDGs 6 (clean water and sanitation), 7 (affordable and clean energy), 9 (industry, innovation and infrastructure), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and 17 (partnerships for the goals), which are set for review at this year's global High-Level Political Forum.
Speaking at the meeting, Linda Asaba, a volunteer with the UN Association of Uganda, said the discussions come at a critical moment, with only four years left to deliver on the global targets.
"Every year, the United Nations selects specific goals for in-depth review at country, regional and global levels. This year, we are focusing on SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11 and 17," she said.
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Asaba noted that although Uganda will not present a Voluntary National Review this year, it continues to produce an annual SDG progress report under the Office of the Prime Minister.
She urged civil society organisations to identify accountability gaps within the selected goals.
"We believe that if CSOs come together and examine these gaps, it will strengthen their work and contribute meaningfully to the national SDG progress report," she said.
Participants highlighted both progress and persistent challenges in implementation.
Alvin Mutebi, a member of the Royal Danish Embassy advisory board, said Uganda has made strides in raising awareness, promoting participation and localising SDG initiatives.
"There has been deliberate effort to bring SDG conversations closer to the people and to encourage participation across stakeholders, including government, the private sector and civil society," he said.
However, he pointed to funding constraints as a major bottleneck, particularly in industrialisation and innovation under SDG 9.
"While there are initiatives like innovation hubs and industrial parks, financing towards these interventions remains relatively low, which limits implementation," Mutebi said.
He also cited weak coordination among stakeholders, warning that siloed approaches are undermining effectiveness.
"You find that different actors tend to work in silos, which affects overall implementation," he said.
Mutebi further noted gaps in communication and information flow, especially at the grassroots level, where misconceptions about SDGs persist.
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"There is still a challenge in how information flows from the centre to local communities. Addressing this gap would significantly improve outcomes," he added.
Participants also observed low public interest in some of the goals under review, particularly among young people, with greater attention often given to issues such as climate change, poverty, education, health and governance.
Despite the challenges, stakeholders expressed optimism that stronger collaboration, better coordination and increased awareness could accelerate progress.
The outcomes of the meeting are expected to inform Uganda's annual SDG progress report and contribute to discussions at the international level.
