The United Nations is concerned that two main Sustainable Development Goals for Fiji are showing signs of regression.

United Nations Resident Coordinator Dirk Wagener commented on a Development Partner Dialogue in Suva this morning, where Fiji’s progress towards achieving its set of SDGs was being discussed.

Dirk says while Fiji has made progress, two important components of the SDG are showing signs of regression.

“Two SDGs are unfortunately regressing: SDG 8, which aims to promote sustained inclusive and sustainable economic growth, and SDG 9, which focuses on infrastructure and innovation. Both SDGs are essential to the sustainable development of Fiji.”

Dirk reassures the UN’s support for Fiji by facilitating dialogue and mobilizing resources and expertise to advance national priorities under the SDGs.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad provided an overview of the progress made towards achieving Fiji’s SDGs.

He revealed that the progress has been less than satisfactory.

“Out of the 169 SDG targets, Fiji has shown good progress in achieving 24, which is about 14 percent. We could achieve another 45, which is 27 percent, but this would require accelerated action.”

Prasad even revealed that some of these targets are deemed too vast to achieve.

“We’ve seen negative progress in 28 or 17 percent of the targets, while 72 or 43 percent of the targets could not be measured.”

Meanwhile, Fiji’s coalition government is in the process of formulating a new national development plan, with a focus on addressing certain SDGs in both the medium and long term.

Prasad has also issued a fresh call to development partners for support in meeting set targets.

In 2015, Fiji, along with other countries in the United Nations, was tasked with meeting set development targets; however, with six years remaining within the timeframe, limited achievements have been observed.