HRH Premier: Bahrain sustainable development leader

New York, July 16 (BNA): His Royal Highness Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa has stressed that Bahrain boasts a rich experience in all dimensions of development, which has enabled it to keep pace with the world’s movement towards sustainable development. Bahrain was a forerunner in this field through adopting government development strategies and programmes prior to the beginning of the world’s movement towards sustainable development, HRH Premier said. The Prime Minister pointed out that through presenting its first Voluntary National Review (VNR) to the High-level Political Forum (HLPF), Bahrain affirms the effective role it has played, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, at the regional and global levels in designing and achieving sustainable development. HRH Premier’s stances were included in Bahrain’s first VNR on the achievement of the sustainable development goals (SDGs 2030), presented at the UN headquarters at the HLPF on Sustainable Development, held today under the auspices of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC). The Prime Minister, in his statement, emphasised that the kingdom had successfully achieved the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) ahead of the 2015 schedule, and is today an internationally-recognised role model for its ability in mobilising and harnessing the available potentials and resources in order to meet the aspirations of its citizens and ensure that the development dividens are reaped by everyone without exception. "The Kingdom of Bahrain has been a pioneer in providing free education, eradicating illiteracy, empowering women, ensuring equal opportunities for men and women, expanding the social security umbrella, eradicating poverty, improving health care, raising life expectancy, among other initiatives stipulated in the Constitution and public policies that benefit all, without distinction," the Prime Minister said. HRH the Prime Minister added that the government's successive action plans have targeted everyone and stricken a balance among all the social, economic and environmental aspects in the present and future. The Kingdom of Bahrain has made raising the standards of living of the citizens an end in itself, being the main focus of all development plans and programmes in their various dimensions, which is the same goal prioritised by the sustainable development agenda. Overall, such initiatives represent a global challenge that the United Nations plays a key role in facing within its efforts to promote peace and cooperation among nations for the benefit of humanity and the protection of peoples, he added. "This success has given great impetus to the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain to adopt the goals of sustainable development 2030 and to include them in the government's action plan (2015-2018), and therefore we emphasise the continuation of the government’s efforts towards achieving these goals in their economic, social and environmental dimensions," he also said. HRH Premier stressed that the international forum is an opportunity for Bahrain to highlight its achievements and success stories, on the one hand, and to shed light on the challenges it is facing, on the other. The forum is also another opportunity for the Kingdom to contribute to supporting the efforts of the International Community to achieve SDGs, and strengthen the pillars of global security and peace, he indicated. HRH Premier highlighted Bahrain’s keenness to share challenges, as well as successful experiences and ecpertise with world countries in order to discuss areas of cooperation and ways to step up joint action to solve them. Concluding his statement, HRH Premier said that Bahrain has succeeded in building a civilisation spanning more than 3000 years, and is now determined, relying on its citizens and residents, without distinction, to continue its tireless efforts to meet the aspirations of its government, achieve its Economic Vision 2030, and fulfill the expectations of its people for well-being and prosperity. «Bahrain is the land of civilisations and the crossroads of trade in the ancient world. Allah the Almighty blessed it with a people whose members are socially and intellectually open, and accept the others, which has entitled it to be a strong modern kingdom,» HRH Premier said.