In countries VNRs, challenges in meeting the UN SDGs refer to the persistent structural, institutional, financial, and socio-economic barriers that hinder a country’s progress towards achieving the global goals. These may include poverty, inequality, weak governance, limited institutional capacity, inadequate financing, data gaps, climate vulnerabilities, and external shocks such as economic crises or conflicts. Such challenges often cut across multiple SDGs, reflecting the interconnected nature of SD and the difficulty of achieving balanced progress across all goals simultaneously.