Workshop on UN Sustainable Development Goals opened

Manama, Apr. 14 (BNA): The National Information Committee today held a workshop with civil society organisations taking part in the first national voluntary report on Bahrain’s on-going implementation of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Over 220 representatives from various civil society organisations took part in the workshop held at the Isa Cultural Centre. The final 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. In his opening speech, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the National Information Committee, Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al Mutawa, noted that under the leadership of HM King Hamad the Kingdom continues to make positive progress towards the implementation of the UN SDGs. The minister highlighted the efforts of the government, headed by HRH Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, the Prime Minister, and supported by HRH Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and First Deputy Prime Minister, in implementing the SDGs as part of the Kingdom’s development vision. Al Mutawa further noted that the three dimensions of sustainable development – economic, social and environmental – represent the foundation of the Kingdom’s comprehensive development strategy designed to achieve the aspirations of Bahraini citizens through the advancement of key sectors including housing, health and education. The minister affirmed that the workshop reflects the government’s commitment to engaging with civil society, the private sector and academia, whose participation in the consultation process will be crucial to the success of the national report. The minister confirmed that the Kingdom continues to prioritise sustainable development in line with the objectives of Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030. In this regard, the Minister noted that under the directives of HRH the Prime Minister, 78 per cent of the UN SDGs are already being implemented as part of the government’s current programme of activity. The Undersecretary for International Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and member of the National Information Committee, Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa highlighted Bahrain’s wide-ranging efforts to stimulate sustainable development at the domestic and international levels. Shaikh Abdullah noted in particular the King Hamad Award which, in partnership with the UN, seeks to empower youth to make a positive contribution to development goals. He drew attention to various other collaborative projects and initiatives conducted under the Strategic Partnership Framework between Bahrain and the UN, including the World Youth Congress and the World Forum of Entrepreneurs and Investment. In this regard, His Excellency noted that Bahrain has sought to align these initiatives with the objectives of the Government Action Plan (2015-2018) and Bahrain’s Economic Vision 2030. Shaikh Abdullah highlighted that, in line with the Kingdom’s commitment to working with international partners, Bahrain has created a database to support the development of the national voluntary report, which will also be used as a best practice example for other countries completing the same process. The Deputy Chief Executive of Statistics and Population Register at the Information and eGovernment Authority, Dr. Nabil Mohammed bin Shams, discussed ways of linking national development plans to sustainable development goals based on the needs and priorities of the government and its citizens. The Deputy Chief Executive outlined the structure of the current government work programme, and the strategic priorities identified in line with the UN SDGs. Dr. Nabil bin Shams pointed out that Bahrain continues to build on the success it achieved through the Millennium Development Goals 2015. The Information Committee, formed under the chairmanship of the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, was assigned to follow-up on the Millennium Development Goals agenda beyond 2015, link it to the government programme of activity and oversee the establishment of a comprehensive national database aimed at providing accurate information to assist sustainable development. The Resident Representative of the UN Development Programme in Bahrain, Amin El Sharkawi, addressed UN efforts to provide technical and technological expertise across all sectors, integrate sustainable development objectives into the planning process, prepare various development policies, and ensure optimal investment of resources in line with Bahrain’s development needs. El Sharkawi praised the leading role Bahrain has taken by incorporating sustainability into its development programme. Mr. El Sharkawi added that when the UN SDGs were announced in 2015, Bahrain had already made significant progress in adopting these goals to benefit the Kingdom’s citizens. El Sharkawi lauded the vital role played by civil society organisations, NGOs and the private sector in achieving the UN SDGs and contributing to the national voluntary report. Mr. El Sharkawi noted that completing the voluntary report will be a tangible step towards achieving the goals of the sustainable development agenda, and a significant milestone for the Kingdom’s development programme. During the workshop, participants were split into groups divided across the seventeen sustainable development goals, focusing on six key areas: women, economy, health, food security, environment, security, safety, education and innovation. Participants examined the priorities and challenges associated with achieving these goals and engaged in interactive dialogue and brainstorming sessions to identify ways to implement the UN SDGs in line with the targets set out in the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.