The Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development provides a multi-stakeholder platform for the follow-up and review of progress and challenges in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063.

The Seventh Session of the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD-7) convened under the theme “Building forward better: towards a resilient and green Africa to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union’s Agenda 2063”.

This meeting, which took place 1-4 March 2021, was held in a hybrid format, with in-person participation in Brazzaville, Republic of Congo and online participation in accordance with the continued health and safety measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The meeting was preceded by the following pre-Forum meetings from 25 February – 1 March 2021:

• a regional preparatory and capacity-building workshop for major groups and other stakeholders;
• a regional workshop on voluntary national reviews of progress achieved in the context of both agendas;
• a regional workshop on voluntary local reviews of progress achieved in the context of both agendas and on bolstering local action for sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 crisis;
• the Third Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation in Africa;
• expert workshops and other thematic meetings aligned with the theme and sub-themes of the Regional Forum.

The aim of ARFSD-7 was to review regional progress, facilitate peer learning, and advance transformative solutions and actions to accelerate implementation of the SDGs and the African Union’s Agenda 2063. The meeting also considered the region’s collective input to the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), scheduled for July 2021. The meeting deliberations followed nine SDGs to be discussed by the 2021 HLPF:

• No poverty (SDG 1);
• Zero hunger (SDG 2);
• Good health and well-being (SDG 3);
• Decent work and economic growth (SDG 8);
• Reduced inequalities (SDG 10);
• Responsible consumption and production (SDG 12);
• Climate action (SDG 13);
• Peace, justice and strong institutions (SDG 16); and
• Partnerships (SDG 17).