RIYADH: A Saudi delegation of top ministers, government officials and business leaders will take part at the UN High-level Political Forum next week as representatives from over 100 countries gather in New York to assess the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals.
The forum will be held from July 10-19 and focus on accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease and fully implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, aimed at ending poverty in all forms.
It will discuss the effective and inclusive recovery measures to address the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the SDGs and explore actionable policy guidance for the full implementation of the 2030 agenda and the SDGs at all levels, according to its website.
Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim will lead the delegation, comprising representatives from 22 government entities, private sector companies and nonprofit organizations.
According to a press statement, Saudi Arabia will submit its second Voluntary National Review report on progress in its commitment to SDGs at the forum.
The VNR is a mechanism established by the UN for countries to voluntarily report on their progress in implementing the SDGs.
During the VNR, countries are expected to share their experiences, including successes, challenges and lessons learned, to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
The Saudi delegation will also include Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of Environment, Water and Agriculture Abdulrahman Al-Fadley and Minister of Tourism Ahmed Al-Khateeb.
Launched in 2015, the event will host panel discussions and exhibitions of various Saudi entities, including the Public Investment Fund, the Saudi Arabian Oil Co., Saudi Basic Industries Corp. and NEOM.
The Kingdom has been participating in the event since 2018. It will share its experiences and achievements in sustainable development, including various efforts it takes to achieve its net-zero target of 2060.
Achieving sustainability is a key agenda in Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals, as the Kingdom aims to increase its domestic generation capacity from renewable energy to 50 percent by the end of this decade.
