Inter-institutional Framework towards Improvising SDGs in Somaliland: The Transformative Paradigm

Abstract

The United Nations (UN) Rio+20 summit obligated nations to develop set of universal development goals as indicated in the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs). These goals were designated to enhance and further improve strategies cope with failures of the expired millennium development goals (MDGs) (United Nations, 2013). Researchers and other official reports at present indicate that SDGs are the extension or the continuation of the expired MDGs. The MDGs were mostly relief projects toward improving human life through aid based approach. The MDGs projects did not thus so far remarkably improve the target sectors but alleviated hunger and reduced extreme poverty in some countries while in countries like Somaliland, hunger, and poverty are on the increase. This doesn't mean that MDGs were totally failed projects, but to indicate that the set targets were not improved as supposed to be due to lack of context-based national strategic framework. Additional monitoring and evaluation of MDGs were haphazard since there had not been specific indicators adapted to report the progress. The SDGs signed up by the Somaliland government this year (2017) would inherit challenges hindered MDGs to produce the anticipated outcomes if they are not strategically avoided. Socioeconomic development and national sustainability are often posed as being in conflict because of tradeoffs between the growing demands of least developed counties like Somaliland as well as lower standards of living and poor capacity of the national institutions. This review paper suggests a need to adopt an indigenous integrated framework, which ensures that synergy is exploited and collaborative strategies are put in place towards achieving SDG targets. This paper proposes a comprehensive framework and key recommendations focusing on filling the gaps left in the MDGs and accelerate in achieving the new goals and targets of SDGs.