According to our respondents, the main challenge LRGs faced in 2023 in working to achieve the SDGs and other global agendas was the lack of human resources. A second but equally significant concern was weak capacity and limited coordination between different levels of government (which has increased significantly since the previous year) and limited support from national governments. The percentages for each obstacle were quite similar to those from 2022, which substantiates the earlier indication that resources, coordination and support are key to making the SDGs a reality at the local level:
Similar to the 2022 finding, the principal benefit in 2023 for LRGs from working to achieve the SDGs and other global agendas is securing improved planning mechanisms at local level that help integrate the SDGs and promote recovery. Other benefits indicated can be seen in the chart below (numbers correspond to how many associations responded).