Azerbaijan's Ministry of Economy warns of widening gap in achieving SDGs

The global community is facing a growing gap between the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the ability to implement them, with the annual financing shortfall for sustainable development approaching $4 trillion, an Azerbaijani official said, Huseyn Huseynov, adviser to the Minister of Economy, said at an event held as part of the annual meeting of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group in Baku, according to Report.

He said that as the 2030 deadline for the SDGs approaches, the divide between global ambitions and actual progress is becoming increasingly evident.

Citing UN Secretary-General reports, Huseynov noted that only about 17% of SDG targets are currently on track, while the majority - 83% - are either progressing slowly or have stalled or reversed.

He also pointed to rising global challenges, including more frequent climate-related disasters, biodiversity loss, infrastructure gaps, food insecurity, water scarcity, and the costs of the energy transition, alongside growing social inequality affecting both developed and developing countries.

Huseynov stressed that financing has become a central issue in achieving the goals, adding that the global annual funding gap is estimated at around $4 trillion. He said major shortfalls remain in sustainable infrastructure, clean energy, climate adaptation, water systems, digital transformation, and sustainable urban development.