Arab News, Wed, Dec 20, 2023 | Jamada Al-Aakhirah 7, 1445
Saudi Arabia and UN discuss strengthening collaborations to achieve global SDGs
Saudi Arabia:
Saudi Arabia discussed ways to enhance cooperation with the UN when it comes to
dealing with global environmental challenges during a high-level meeting between
officials.
The Kingdom’s Minister of Economy and Planning
Faisal Al-Ibrahim emphasized Saudi Arabia’s commitment to achieving the
Sustainable Development Goals within the Vision 2030 framework during talks
with the organization’s Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs
Liu Zhenmin.
The UN SDGs are a set of 17 interconnected
international goals adopted by all member states in 2015. These targets are
designed to address various social, economic, and environmental challenges and
promote sustainable development worldwide.
During the 78th UN General Assembly in New York in
September, the minister noted that Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 aligns closely
with the SDGs.
Drawing attention to the recently inaugurated
Global Water Organization, Al-Ibrahim hailed it as a significant initiative
fostering international innovation and issuing a collective call to nations
worldwide to collaborate.
He highlighted Saudi Arabia’s substantial
commitment, stating: “We have contributed over $87 billion in international aid
to combat poverty and ignite development.”
A report by the UN Conference on Trade and
Development outlined that achieving the global sustainable development goals
will require annual investments ranging from $5.4 trillion to $6.4 trillion
until 2030.
The research, examining 50 indicators related to
the SDGs across 90 countries, covering three-fourths of the global population,
underscored significant financial challenges, particularly in emerging
economies.
The report proposed a sustainable development
plan, offering guidance on implementing social protection and generating quality
employment opportunities, and reforming education and food systems.
Additionally, the plan addresses climate change,
combats biodiversity decline and pollution, promotes a transition to clean
energy, and fosters inclusive digitalization.
At a UN summit in July that reviewed global
environmental pledges, the minister stated that Saudi Arabia has made
significant progress in over 50 percent of its SDGs.
During the High-Level Political Forum in New York,
Al-Ibrahim presented the Kingdom’s second Voluntary National Review, showcasing
the achievements in SDGs.
According to a then-released press statement by
the Ministry of Economy and Planning, the minister told the UN that through its
SDG initiatives, the Kingdom is elevating the living standards of the country’s
population and is “unleashing a spectacular wave of innovation.”