The contributions of local and regional governments to SDG implementation have been highlighted in numerous VNRs with countries reporting on local and regional level plans and programming efforts, subnational coordination structures, partnerships, contributions to data collection and other activities. In particular, Uganda highlighted the voluntary local review efforts that were piloted in Ngora district. A review of the voluntary national reviews presented at the 2020 HLPF showed that countries are translating development objectives of the SDGs and national development plans (NDPs) to the provincial and local levels. For instance, Uganda is in the process of rolling out SDG Localization guidelines which will guide in reflecting the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs by all stakeholders including both central and local governments. Whereas there have been efforts registered in integrating SDGs in government work plans, less has been done in monitoring the progress of SDGs implementation at local government level.

UNECA has been coordinating voluntary local reviews in the region and Uganda is among the first four (Ghana, Uganda, Zimbabwe & Cameroon) countries in Africa to pilot the Voluntary local review approach. In Uganda, this was piloted in Ngora district Local Government Eastern region and findings of this process were incorporated in the Uganda’s second voluntary national review of 2020. The SDG Secretariat at the Office of the Prime Minister has gone ahead to scale up the VLR approach in other Local Governments including Sheema, Bugiri, Nebbi, Kyotera, Sironko, Kitagwenda and DINU Districts in northern Uganda.

This is part of the local and people actions to deliver of Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. The United Nations Economic Commission developed regional Voluntary Local Review Guidelines. The guidelines were customized to fit the region’s context and will facilitate local mechanisms and local Governments in monitoring and reporting on SDGs.

Being one of the VLR pilot Countries, the Government of Uganda adopted the VLR guidelines and scale up them across the entire district Local Governments. In order to achieve this, the Office of the Prime Minister through the SDG Secretariat with financial and technical support from UNECA organized a Training of Trainers workshop on the VLR Regional guidelines.