Workshop with private sector on sustainable goals held

Manama, Apr. 15 (BNA): The National Information Committee today held a workshop with private sector institutions in Bahrain. Up to 100 people from 88 private sector entities took part in the workshop held at the Isa Cultural Centre to listen to their views in the first national voluntary report on Bahrain’s on-going implementation of the 2030 United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The report will be presented during the ministerial meeting of the UN Economic and Social Council High Level Political Forum due to take place in New York in July. Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the National Information Committee, Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Mutawa said in his opening speech that the workshop reflects the government’s commitment to engaging with civil society, the private sector, public figures and academia. He added that the private sector views and participation in the consultation process will be crucial to the success of the national report. Undersecretary for International Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and member of the National Information Committee, Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said that the consultations with the civil society organisations on Saturday were fruitful and that several views that will be of interest were put forward. The consultations will be completed with the private sector that plays a pivotal role in the development process as one of the main pillars of the national economy. He added that the government gave great attention to the sector as one of the objectives in the government forum for changing the role of the public sector from the principal engine of the economy to the regulator and partner of the private sector. Deputy Chief Executive of Statistics and Population Register at the Information and eGovernment Authority, Dr. Nabil Mohammed bin Shams highlighted the 2015-2018 Government Action Plan and which drew on the leaders’ directives and on Bahrain Economic Vision 2030. He also stressed the role of the National Information Committee, chaired by the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, that has been tasked with following up the development agenda and linking it with the Government Action Plan. He also addressed the methodology and outputs of the link. Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme in Bahrain Amin El Sharkawi stressed the role of the private sector in supporting Bahrain's voluntary report on the achievement of the 17 sustainable development goals. "The private sector is the right arm of the government and the main partner, which translates profits into sustainable economic growth," he said. "Its contribution to civil society and other parties is significant ... in promoting sustainable development."