Saudi Arabia Confirms Participation In UN's 2024 Sustainable Development Forum

Saudi Arabia will join the 2024 UN High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development from July 8 to 18, 2024, in New York City. The forum will evaluate global progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) under the 2030 Agenda.

The Saudi delegation, led by Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadel Alibrahim, includes representatives from 13 government agencies. These agencies encompass the Ministry of Economy and Planning, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, National Center for Vegetation Cover Development and Combating Desertification (NCVC), National Center for Environmental Compliance (NCEC), General Food Security Authority (GFSA), Royal Commission for Riyadh City, Royal Commission for AlUla Governorate, Al Madinah Region Development Authority, Quality of Life Program, and Qassim Urban Observatory.

This year, Saudi Arabia will present a Voluntary Local Review (VLR) through the Royal Commission for Riyadh City. This review provides an in-depth analysis of progress in achieving SDGs at the local level within the Riyadh region.

As part of its participation in the forum, Saudi Arabia has previously submitted voluntary national reviews in 2018 and 2023. These reviews showcased significant advancements in various sustainable development areas.

The Ministry of Economy and Planning will host a side event titled "Stimulating Local Efforts for the SDGs." This event will feature speakers from various government agencies and international partners to highlight local initiatives contributing to SDG achievement.

The Ministry of Environment, Water, and Agriculture will also have a pavilion at the forum. This pavilion will showcase the importance of the Saudi Green Initiative and Middle East Green Initiative. Additionally, it will highlight preparations for hosting COP16 in Riyadh in December.

Forum Themes and Goals

The theme for the 2024 High-Level Political Forum is "Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Eradicating Poverty in Times of Multiple Crises: The Effective Delivery of Sustainable, Resilient, and Innovative Solutions." The forum will conduct detailed reviews of several SDGs including Goal 1 (No Poverty), Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), Goal 13 (Climate Action), Goal 16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions), and Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals).

Saudi Arabia's participation underscores its commitment to aligning Vision 2030 principles with global SDG frameworks. The Kingdom has been a regular participant in this forum since 2017.

The High-Level Political Forum has been held annually since 2015 under the United Nations Economic and Social Council's auspices.

With inputs from SPA