International review uncovers Sweden's failure to meet global development objectives
The Swedish National Audit Office (Riksrevisionen) has raised concerns about the government's approach to implementing the United Nations' Agenda 2030, a set of 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) adopted by UN member states in 2015.
According to the audit, the Swedish government has not provided sufficient guidelines for the implementation of Agenda 2030 and has not established a comprehensive follow-up plan on progress. The audit also noted that the government has not detailed the measures necessary to achieve the goals of Agenda 2030.
Karl Nilsson, who led the audit, stated that there is still no comprehensive view of how the work towards the goals and sub-goals is progressing in Sweden after 10 years. He also expressed concern about the government's level of ambition, stating that fewer resources are being dedicated to achieving the goals of Agenda 2030, and that the level of ambition has declined in recent years.
The most serious shortcoming, according to the audit, is the lack of a clear direction with priorities for Sweden's implementation of Agenda 2030. Among the goals of Agenda 2030 are the eradication of poverty and hunger, promoting gender equality, and creating better access to clean water.
It is unclear what actions the Swedish government plans to take in response to the findings of the Swedish National Audit Office. AFP has reached out to climate minister Romina Pourmokhtari and international development minister Benjamin Dousa for comment, but as of yet, no response has been received.
In the meantime, the authorities in Sweden have continued to work as usual without taking any additional measures to achieve the objectives of Agenda 2030. It is worth noting that UN data ranks Sweden second out of 167 countries in implementing Agenda 2030, right behind Finland. However, it is unclear which specific goals of Agenda 2030 are most affected by the government's lack of direction and guidance.
The Swedish National Audit Office's statement does not indicate whether other governments have faced similar challenges in implementing Agenda 2030. It remains to be seen whether the Swedish government will take steps to address the concerns raised by the audit and improve its approach to implementing Agenda 2030.
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