The Minister of Sustainable Development Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif met with the editors-in-chief of local newspapers at the Ministry’s premises on Sunday, following the presentation of the Kingdom of Bahrain's Second Voluntary National Review on the progress made in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at United Nations High-level Political Forum 2023 on Sustainable Development which was held in New York in July.
During the meeting, the Minister affirmed the Kingdom’s commitment to accelerating progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. She noted that since the presentation of the first Voluntary National Review in 2018, the Kingdom of Bahrain has witnessed an acceleration in efforts to address global environmental challenges, by investing in renewable energy, supporting the digital transformation, as well as enhancing financial sustainability efforts and preparedness for various challenges that may affect sustainable development initiatives.
The Minister highlighted the important role that local media outlets play, emphasizing the importance of shedding light on the Kingdom’s accomplishments, as well as the challenges and ways to address them, which were reflected in the Second Voluntary National Review. She noted that the review demonstrated the Kingdom’s efficiency in effectively dealing with the global COVID-19 pandemic by adopting a comprehensive integrated approach by the government and society. This was also acknowledged by the World Health Organization in a case study published last year on the pandemic and the lessons learned.
The Minister explained that the review also highlighted the Kingdom’s efforts in mitigating the repercussions of the pandemic, including the launch of the Economic Recovery Plan in 2021 to achieve post-pandemic financial and economic sustainability.
Alkhulaif pointed out that the High-Level Political Forum for 2023 highlighted ways to accelerate the pace of achieving sustainable development, which the Kingdom has successfully accomplished through a series of initiatives, such as establishing the Ministry of Sustainable Development in 2022 as a supportive and coordinating institution for sustainable development efforts. She explained that the Ministry is responsible for highlighting the Kingdom's achievements and future plans to realize further progress the global development agenda in all fields.
The Minister noted that the Kingdom has also integrated sustainable development into many of its plans and strategies including the Government Plan (2023-2026) titled "From Recovery to Sustainable Growth”. It also announced a commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2060 and has launched several initiatives to accelerate digital transformation.
The Minister stated that the Ministry relied on the available database on the Sustainable Development Goals platform as the primary data source for the Second Voluntary National Review. She also added that the Ministry sought quantitative and qualitative data from government entities in a systematic manner which was included in the review and evaluation process. She emphasized that the Kingdom ensured that the review reflected the close partnership with stakeholders, benefiting from their expertise to provide a comprehensive vision for policies and initiatives to achieve sustainable development in its economic, social, and environmental dimensions.
During the meeting, Minister Alkhulaif added that this year’s High-Level Political Forum focused on five of the sustainable development goals which included SDG 6 on Clean Water and Sanitation, SDG 7 on Affordable and Clean Energy, SDG 9 on Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 11 on Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 17 on Partnerships for the Goals. She added that this year’s Voluntary National Review reviewed the Kingdom’s efforts in all of the seventeen sustainable development goals and illustrated the Kingdom’s initiatives towards achieving the 2030 Agenda.
During the preparation process, seven discussion workshops and consultative sessions were conducted with stakeholders earlier this year, including representatives from the government sector, private sector, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, academic and research institutions, and those involved in women's affairs, youth, and the legislative authority.
She also expressed that through the high-level meetings held on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, she had the opportunity to meet with several officials, including Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group.
At the end of the meeting, she emphasized the importance of continuing integrated work between state institutions and different local and global stakeholders to driving sustainable development and accelerating the implementation of the sustainable development goals to achieve the Kingdom’s aspirations.
She expressed the Ministry’s anticipation and full readiness to participate in the SDG Summit, scheduled to take place in New York in September 2023, organized by the United Nations at the midpoint towards achieving the 2030 Agenda, reaffirming Bahrain's effective contribution to the global movement in this regard and its commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Source: Bahrain News Agency