Sustainable developments goals in the Arab region

Abdesslam  Boutayeb

doi:10.59400/ephr2527

Abdesslam Boutayeb University Mohamed Premier, Oujda 60050, Morocco; Emirates Aviation University, Dubai 23215, UAE

Article ID: 2527

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59400/ephr2527

Keywords: sustainable development goal; target; Arab region; index; score; achievements

Abstract

This paper is devoted to the sustainable development goals in the Arab region. The author explored the most recent data provided by the Sustainable Development Report 2024, using the SDG index score to track the achievement progress in each Arab country and for each of the 17 goals. The results show that the Arab region achieved an overall SDG index score of nearly 62, less than the world average SDG index score (66.3). The low performance of low-income countries is obviously explained by conflicts, drought, the Covid-19 pandemic, economic crises, and political instability. Unexpectedly, however, high-income countries also contribute to the low performance in terms of SDG’s achievement. Zero hunger (SDG2) is one of the most important SDGs that Arab countries can’t reach by 2030, but Arab countries are facing significant and major challenges in many other essential SDGs like no poverty (SDG1), good health and wellbeing (SDG3), quality education (SDG4), gender equality (SDG5), clean water and sanitation (SDG6), decent work and economic growth (SDG8), and peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG16).

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