Ubuntu and the Missed Development Goals in the Global South: Rethinking MDGs and SDGs through an African Philosophical Lens
Authors
Lecturer, Department of Public Administration, Faculty of Business and Management (FBM), International University of East Africa (IUEA), Doctoral Student, Faculty of Business and Management (BAM), Uganda Martyrs University (UMU), Kampala (Uganda)
Article Information
DOI: 10.51584/IJRIAS.2025.1010000028
Subject Category: Public Administration
Volume/Issue: 10/10 | Page No: 373-381
Publication Timeline
Submitted: 2025-09-25
Accepted: 2025-10-02
Published: 2025-10-30
Abstract
The Global South continues to face challenges in meeting international development goals like the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Traditional explanations focus on governance, financial, and institutional weaknesses, but often ignore the cultural and philosophical foundations that are crucial to development. This study uses the African philosophy of Ubuntu, expressed as “I am because we are,” to examine why sub-Saharan Africa and other Global South regions struggle with these global agendas. Ubuntu principles of collective responsibility, human dignity, interconnectedness, relational justice, and inclusive participation are often overlooked in development frameworks driven by external influences. Using a qualitative interpretive approach that includes philosophical interpretation and secondary analysis of development reports, this article shows that incorporating Ubuntu principles can reshape development strategies to be more participatory, human-centered, and relational. Such a shift could improve the effectiveness of SDG implementation and promote sustainable development that aligns with local socio-cultural realities.
Keywords
Ubuntu, Global South, Millennium Development Goals, Sustainable Development Goals, African philosophy, development, collective responsibility, human dignity
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