Kenya winning in climate action, but failing in healthcare, peace and justice – UN Report

The 2024 Sustainable Development Report found that Kenya scored 62.17% in SDG performance.

In the survey, Kenya is found to be performing well in climate action, responsible consumption and production.

However, the report finds an alarming trend in 2024, where Kenya failed in the development of sustainable cities and communities.

The East African nation also continues to suffer from a lack of peace, justice and strong institutions, where homicide cases continue to be recorded, a high Corruption Perceptions Index and an increased threat to press freedom.

Poverty and hunger remain a strong challenge in Kenya in 2024, where the population still lags behind in achieving good health and wellbeing, and access to clean water and sanitation. In healthcare, Kenya performed well in the reduction of maternal deaths since 2020 but witnessed a rise in new HIV infections since 2022.

The report also found that Kenyans continue to lack affordable and clean energy, decent work and economic growth.

Inequalities among the Kenyan population have also not reduced, where life below water and on land continues to face risks.

Kenya’s ranking in industry, innovation and infrastructure improved according to the Sustainable Development Report.

Overall, the Sustainable Development report found that that only 17% of the SDG targets are on track, nearly half are showing minimal or moderate progress, and progress on over one third has stalled or even regressed.

“The scarring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating conflicts, geopolitical tensions, and growing climate chaos are hitting SDG progress hard. Furthermore, systemic deficiencies and inequities in the global economic and financial system leave developing countries to tackle enormous and growing challenges,” the report highlights.

During the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly, leaders called for the restructuring of multilateral financial bodies as a means of enabling the achievement of SDGs by developing nations. 

"Our multilateral tools and institutions are unable to respond effectively to today’s political, economic, environmental and technological challenges.  And tomorrow’s will be even more difficult and even more dangerous," UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said in his remarks at the Summit of the Future.