Achieving Sustainable Development Goals: The Relevance of a Nexus Approach in the Euro-Mediterranean and African Region

EMEA - EMNES Policy Paper, May 2021

Sustainable development as a holistic framework is a top priority in the global agenda.

Abundant literature tackles Sustainable Development. But in a context characterised by global threats, such as the COVID-19 sanitation crisis, climate change and gaps in worldwide de-velopment, Sustainable Development Goals appear more relevant than ever and achieving them is more urgent than ever. To accelerate the path towards this objective, this policy pa-per advocates the need to implement a strategy, based on two pillars. The paper defends the idea that it is of utmost importance to emphasise the need for a “nexus approach” rooted in a “geography sensitive” and “multi-scalar” vision of Sustainable Development, for targeted implementation at regional and local levels, particularly within the Euro-Mediterranean and African region. Such an approach would also be a fundamental accelerator for regional integration, which remains really weak in this part of the World. Many indicators show that the present context offers a unique opportunity to adopt such an approach and, thereby, accelerate the pace towards reaching global Sustainable Development Goals. The paper also highlights how, considering its geostrategic position and its long-term commitment to Sustainable Development as an holistic framework, Morocco plays a preeminent role in the implementation of such an approach. Download