From MDGs to SDGs

The United Nations (UN) Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set out eight goals by the target date of 2015 aimed at reducing poverty, improving health of women and children and promoting education, gender equality, environmental sustainability and global partnerships. Although the MDGs achieved positive results mobilizing attention to important and neglected global issues, they have been criticized for their “one-size-fits all” approach for all countries. As the MDGs era came to a close in 2015, a new UN Agenda established 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. The SDGs formulation engaged many stakeholders and provides a broader approach to sustainability, considering the three development pillars (economic, social and environmental) for people, planet, prosperity, peace and partnership. Despite the well-documented negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their achievement, the post-pandemic strategies could offer new opportunities to strengthen the SDGs path and to satisfy the 2030 Agenda.