Brief description of the country's relationship with SDG 1 

The United States of America is the largest economy and a massive donor to the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) (International Monetary Fund, 2026). It advocates for private-sector-led growth, open markets, and democratic governance as the best tools against poverty. It also faces domestic debates about its own poverty and homelessness rates. The country has been opposing resolutions that mandate unconditional debt cancellation or wealth redistribution, preferring micro-loans, trade liberalization and public-private partnerships (World Bank, 2025).

CURRENT CHALLENGES AND RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

The United States faces significant challenges in achieving SDG 1, with progress only moderately improving and still insufficient to meet the 2030 target. Its relationship with SDG 1 (No Poverty) is complex, combining substantial international financial support for poverty‑reduction initiatives with persistent domestic difficulties shaped by shifting federal priorities. Although the U.S. has not conducted a Voluntary National Review, it remains a major global donor, contributing to feeding programmes, humanitarian assistance, and economic‑development efforts. Domestically, results are mixed. A 2025 assessment reported an 11% improvement in SDG 1 indicators since 2015, yet progress remains too slow to reach the 2030 goals. Persistent poverty, uneven social‑protection coverage, and political variability continue to hinder sustained advancement. 

List of References and Useful links

United Nations Association of the United States of America. (n.d.). United Nations Association of the USA. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://unausa.org/

American Leadership on the Sustainable Development Goals. (n.d.). American Leadership on the Sustainable Development Goals. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://usaforsdgs.org/

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Statistics Division. (n.d.). SDG country profile: United States of America. United Nations. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/dataportal/countryprofiles/usa

Sustainable Development Solutions Network. (2026). United States. Sustainable Development Report 2026. Retrieved July 10, 2026, from https://dashboards.sdgindex.org/profiles/united-states/

International Monetary Fund. (2026, April). World economic outlook: Global economy in the shadow of war. Retrieved August 28, 2026, from https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/WEO

World Bank. (2025). World development report 2025: Standards for development. World Bank. Retrieved May 4, 2026, from https://www.worldbank.org/en/publication/wdr2025