As is well known, Rwanda was chosen as the headquarters for spearheading the implementation of SDGs in Africa, because of commendable gains it made during the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The process for this noble responsibility will kick-start in January, 2017. The new global development agenda [Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs] builds on the achievements registered under the MDGs framework, and its preamble declares that the SDGs are to complete what the MDGs failed to do. The SDGs reach far beyond MDGs in terms of ambition, and they come with enormous potential. One of the principal aims of SDGs is to deal with abject poverty, which is the world’s greatest challenge, especially in Africa.

Poverty reduction is, of course, not novel in the global programmes as it was already envisaged in MDGs. But the difference lies on the fact that, under SDGs, the bar is set higher with the target of eradicating extreme poverty everywhere.

Thus, this makes the new agenda of unprecedented scope. In particular, it is worth noting that SDGs encompass some of the important development challenges, such as gender equality, environmental protection, that are crosscutting issues that need to be taken into consideration in the implementation of all goals.

In truth, there have been plenty of uneven achievements and shortfalls in the implementation of MGDs. These range from the world’s poorest remaining very unevenly distributed across regions and countries.

Rwanda, as one of the countries that effectively implemented MDGs, has the responsibility to take a leadership role in the implementation of SDGs.

The fact that the country was selected to be the headquarters of SDGs reflects the international credibility it has earned. Of course, this calls for Rwanda to strive beyond what was achieved during MDGs. What will bring about the realisation of the SDGs in Rwanda, and elsewhere, requires the full support of all stakeholders, namely the government, private sector and civil society organisations.

It is important to stress that the new global development agenda can never be achieved without contribution of everyone. This is a bounden duty incumbent upon every individual as it tallies with the SDGs Preamble in which it’s stated that the new agenda is truly ‘a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity’.

It is noteworthy that, in recent years, Rwanda introduced a string of important development policy innovations that significantly transformed lives of many poor people. In terms of socio-economic development, the government designed crucial programmes, such as the Nine Year-Basic Education, one Cow One Cow per Family, One Laptop Per Child, Vision Umurenge Programme (VUP), and Mutuelles de Sante (community-based health insurance). The purpose of these undertakings is to improve the quality of life. And the core belief of SDGs is no one leaves no one behind.

In terms of environmental protection, one of the key hallmarks of sustainable development, the government adopted the law banning the use plastic or polythene bags to promote eco-tourism and a cleaner greener environment. Additionally, it was recently credited with its leading role in implementing the Montreal Protocol, exceeding targets and beating deadlines set under the treaty. According to the recently adopted Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, developed countries are called to start reducing their consumption of HFCs by 2019 and for developing countries to freeze their levels of HFCs by 2024 for some states and 2028 for others.

Seventeen 17 SDGs have 169 targets, among others, to eradicate, fight inequality and tackle climate change. Although Rwanda is setting the pace, it needs to build from what has been achieved to make higher targets as articulated in SDGs.

Similarly, Kigali should serve as an example to rest of Africa as far as implementing development blueprints is concerned. The fact that it has been entrusted with the headquarters of SDGs calls for two obvious roles: first, to remain outstandingly exemplary and, second, to lead efforts that strategise the implementation of SDGs. In order to move forward in the implementation of SDGs, countries ought to work out the insufficiency of enabling factors or necessary conditions related to the leadership, capacity, culture or values and inability of adoptive policies. It is equally important to note that African leaders, as the main region that faces extreme poverty, ought to engage with their citizens in an effort to improve awareness of the specific outcomes to be achieved under the new global development agenda.

Besides, there’s a need for innovation-drive policy processes which are important for economic growth and development. This primarily requires the role of public servants to facilitate complementary interaction among governance actors.

For Rwanda to stay at the top of its game, public servants need to be trained adequately to master the techniques of long-term strategic foresight that conform to the ideals of SDGs. SDGs are unachievable if attention is focused on long-term development. As such, specific strategic actions need to be taken, such as more focused programmes and targeted beneficiaries; follow-up on the implementation of policies and programmes; increasing engagement experts, officials and communities in all implementation stages; increasing coordination with local, national and international institutions, and engaging both supply and demand-side as well as knowledge-based programmes.

The writer is an international law expert.