Empowering Local Governments to Deliver on the SDGs Promise by 2030

With just four years left to deliver the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the mood at the National Workshop on SDG-Aligned Local Planning and Multi-Level Governance in Entebbe (24-26 March 2026) was both reflective and urgent.

Uganda’s story is, in many ways, one of promise. The country has built one of Africa’s most advanced frameworks for SDG localization-aligning national and district plans to the global goals, investing in data systems, and taking a leadership role on sustainable development across the region.

Yet the reality is sobering: only 26.1% of SDG targets are currently on track.

This gap set the tone for the workshop, organized by the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN DESA) and the SDG Secretariat in the Office of the Prime Minister in Uganda. Government leaders, development partners, civil society, and academia came together not to question Uganda’s commitment, but to focus on one pressing issue-how to accelerate delivery and ensure progress reaches communities faster.

Over the three days, discussions moved beyond celebrating milestones such as SDG-aligned budgeting, Voluntary Local Reviews, and Uganda’s leadership in regional forums. Instead, participants confronted a harder truth: national progress is not translating quickly enough into real change on the ground.

At the centre of this challenge are local governments. Districts, municipalities, and parishes are where development is either delivered or delayed. They build classrooms, health facilities and ensure water reaches communities.

Despite their critical role, many local governments face persistent constraints: limited capacity, financing gaps, weak data systems and slow implementation. In some cases, SDGs are not fully integrated into local plans and budgets, making it harder to turn national ambition into tangible results.

“This reality calls for deliberate, coordinated, and accelerated action, especially at the sub-national level where development is ultimately delivered and experienced,” said Dr. Albert Byamugisha, on behalf of the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Prime Minister

Throughout the workshop, one message was clear: Uganda has strong policies, but delivery at the local level must catch up.

“Uganda provides a global success story on SDG integration. The real challenge-and opportunity-lies in strengthening the link between national priorities and what happens at the local level,” said Mr. Leonard Zulu, UN Resident Coordinator in Uganda.

Local governments are responsible for turning plans into action. They deliver services, manage resources, and respond directly to community needs. Strengthening their capacity is therefore essential.

Uganda has already taken steps to improve accountability. The local government performance assessment system, in place for nearly a decade, tracks results consistently. Many indicators align with SDG targets, ensuring district-level progress contributes to national and global commitments.

“It is no longer enough to report progress on paper. We must verify what is happening on the ground,” said Mr. Gonzaga Mayanja, Commissioner for Monitoring and Evaluation, Office of the Prime Minister.

A key takeaway from the workshop was the importance of localization, not just as a principle, but as a practical approach to delivery. This means strengthening district planning, aligning budgets with priorities, improving the use of data and ensuring communities are actively involved in shaping development.

As Uganda prepares to launch its new SDG Roadmap (2025/26–2029/30) in April, the focus is shifting. The priority now is clear: strengthen coordination across all levels of government and empower local actors to lead implementation because lasting progress will only be achieved where it matters most, in communities.