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GlobalizationAfrica

World in Progress: Challenges for global tranformation

September 24, 2020

TOPICS: Five years of the Sustainable Development Goals - what's to celebrate? -- How Covid 19 Impacts the fight against other diseases in Africa -- Why Pakistan's health system profits from many decades of fighiting Polio now while gearing up to test a COVID 19 vaccine.

https://p.dw.com/p/3iwnN

Taking stock of the SDGs: Interview with economist Jens Martens

Apart from the virtual celebrations this week, how are countries getting on with this huge transformative agenda, how much has already been implemented? And how is the Coronavirus pandemic impacting progress? Before the show, I talked about this to economist Jens Martens, who heads a group that monitors the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals on behalf of civil society. He's also the director of the New York and Bonn based think tank, Global Policy Watch. And my first question to Jens Martens was, as the UN celebrates 5 years of the Sustainable Development Goals,  how much is there really to celebrate?   

Interview: Anke Rasper 

Urgent Solutions for Urgent times - Film teaser 

In September 2015 all 193 member states of the United Nations agreed to strive to reach 17 sustainable development goals or SDGs by 2030. The idea: to transform the world in a sustainable way.  A new film called "Nations United - Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times" highlights what's at stake and features inspiring voices from around the world, including celebrities and changemakers from Malala to Beyonce, Burna Boy, Vanessa Nakate or Don Cheadle. We're preseting a bit of the film, from the part about overcoming poverty and inequality, it's voiced by actress Julia Roberts. 
The complete film  "Nations United - Urgent Solutions for Urgent Times"  is available for free on Youtube. 

AIDS + Covid Uganda 

Sub-Saharan Africa could be facing up to 500,000 additional AIDS-related deaths due to coronavirus  - that's according to a warning from the UN Aids agency UNAID. In Uganda, a hike in public transport costs and border closures, have made it very expensive for people to get to pharmacies and hospitals to pick up life-saving drug refills. So far, less than two and half thousand people in the country have tested positive for coronavirus, but social distancing rules and other restrictions remain in place.

Reporter: Isabel Nakirya 

Fighting Covid and Polio in  Pakistan 

The global fight against polio has seen huge success in the last few decades. Thanks to decades of vaccination campaigns in all countries, today the crippling disease is almost extinct. Only in Pakistan and Afghanistan, are there still some active cases. While it will still take some effort to eradicate polio in Pakistan, the Covid19 pandemic has been posing new challenges for the country's health system. But experiences of the polio campaign are now prooving vital for fighting coronavirus. And soon, the clinical tests for a new Chinese vaccine will start in Pakistan

Reporter: Bernd Musch-Borowska reports/  presenter: Kathleen Schuster. 

China Noodle Shop "Fat Sister" 

In Chongquing, a city in southwestern China, the little restaurant called "fat sister" is very popular - many claim it has the best food in town. There are now several branches in other cities too . and there's a good reason the place is called "Fat Sister"

 Reporter: Axel Dorloff / -presenter: Sarah Steffen  

Anke Rasper
Anke Rasper Anke is a senior editor with DW's environment team.