U.A.E. increasing contributions to achieving UN’s Millennium Development Goals, says Sheikha Lubna

Abu Dhabi (WAM): The U.A.E. is continuing with its concerted actions to overcome the urgent global challenges of food security, climate change, water insecurity and infrastructure development, following the U.A.E. government’s commitment to achieving the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, according to Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi, Minister of International Cooperation and Development (MICAD). Delivering a lecture entitled ‘Towards Sustainability: The role of the U.A.E. as a key player in Global Human Development’, Sheikha Lubna added that the U.A.E.’s initiatives are the outcome of the vision and commitment of the leadership to widen the country’s contributions to sustainable development goals. Sustainable development goals are expected to be adopted as the next stage of action for the eight MGDs by the United Nation’s member states at a summit in September 2015. The lecture was organised under the lecture series at the Masdar Institute campus. A number of government, non-government and private sector stakeholders, including Dr. Sultan bin Ahmed Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State, Chief Executive Officer of Energy at Mubadala and Chairman of Masdar, Philip Parham, Ambassador of the United Kingdom to the U.A.E. and official representatives from the United Nations in the U.A.E. were present. Students, faculty and staff members from Masdar Institute and other universities also attended the lecture. During her talk, Sheikha Lubna pointed out that the U.A.E. remains committed to helping partner countries achieve their MDGs through the delivery of foreign aid in the form humanitarian and development assistance. The country also prioritises ‘developing global partnerships for development’ and ‘eradication of poverty and hunger’, while seeking to achieve the MDGs locally. She emphasised that the programmes and projects initiated by the U.A.E. leadership in poor countries will contribute to improved food supply, greater environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation, as well as better water management, child vaccination campaigns and meaningful support for global polio eradication efforts. Sheikha Lubna added: "As part of its contribution towards achieving sustainable development goals, the U.A.E. specifically will endeavour to address the causes of poverty including conflict, fragile statehood, social exclusion, economic under-performance, under-mobilisation of national resources in poor countries, inadequate governance and under-investment in education and health." – Emirates News Agency, WAM – http://www.wam.ae/en/news/emirates/1395269430248.html