National Planning Secretary calls for stronger commitment to SDGs
National Planning Secretary Koney Samuel has urged all stakeholders to remain committed to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), stressing that achieving medium-term development plan targets will require collective effort and forward-looking strategies.(
“This is a critical moment for the country’s development journey,” Secretary Samuel said during PNG’s Second SDG Voluntary National Review 2025 Dissemination and Launch of the SDG Portal in Port Moresby yesterday.
He described the event as a significant step in assessing the nation’s progress toward the SDGs and emphasized the importance of understanding where Papua New Guinea currently stands in its commitments.
Secretary Samuel also highlighted the collaborative effort behind the review, acknowledging the involvement of multiple stakeholders, the UN team, and development partners in putting the report together.
“This second UNR report is one of the best the country has produced, thanks to the input from various workshops, data validation, and verification processes. We are not just presenting a narrative; we are bringing solid statistics to the global community to show exactly how we are tracking the 17 SDGs.”
Unlike the first report in 2020, where the Prime Minister delivered the statement, this time the Minister led the delegation at the High-Level Political Forum in New York, with the Prime Minister delivering a statement on behalf of the country and other nations.
“We have crossed the midpoint of SDG implementation, and the data shows that we are not doing well on many goals. This means there is much work ahead as we prepare for the third VNR. Coordination and planning remain critical.”
The launch of the SDG data portal will centralize all relevant data, enabling sectors to better understand their contributions, challenges, and future commitments towards the SDGs.
He says understanding data is key. "Each sector must know its role and challenges. We have 50 years ahead to meet these goals, and the lessons learned will guide us to do better for our country", Mr Samuel said.