Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Developmentand Chief Executive of the Economic Development Board, participated in theministerial segment of the UN High-Level Political Forum on SustainableDevelopment (HLPF 2024) convening in New York on July 15-18.

The annual forum, held under the patronage of the UN Economicand Social Council (ECOSOC), provides a platform to assess progress made andchallenges faced by countries in advancing the UN 2030 Agenda and SustainableDevelopment Goals (SDGs) through their voluntary national reviews andfacilitates the exchange of best practices in achieving the goals.

During the high-level segment titled "From the SDGSummit to the Summit of the Future", Minister Alkhulaif delivered theKingdom’s statement; showcasing Bahrain's efforts in accelerating SDGimplementation since its second voluntary national review in 2023. She openedher remarks by presenting the most prominent key outcomes of the 33rd ArabSummit and the initiatives of the “Bahrain Declaration” announced during thesummit by His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, Chair of the currentsession of the Arab Summit. These initiatives, subsequently endorsed by memberstates, reaffirmed international cooperation and fostering global peace.

Bahrain's dedication to a sustainable future was furtheremphasised by the ambitious "Blueprint Bahrain"; the nation's roadmapto achieving carbon neutrality through building a low-carbon economy, adaptingto climate change, and fostering a thriving green economy.

Looking beyond environmental initiatives, Minister Alkhulaifspoke about Bahrain's focus on economic development, guided by the directivesof His Majesty the King and His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad AlKhalifa,  the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, in formulating Bahrain’sEconomic Vision 2050, prioritising social and cultural development whilepreserving the rich heritage of Bahraini cities. The Minister finallyemphasised the importance of empowering youth and recognizing their vital rolein shaping a sustainable future.

The opening session was also attended by Ambassador JamalFaris Al Rowaiei, Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of Bahrain to theUnited Nations in New York. It included speeches by Amina Mohammed, DeputySecretary-General of the United Nations,  Dennis Francis, President of the78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, and Paula Narvaez,President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), whom allstressed the importance of concentrated efforts and strengthening internationalcooperation to achieve the desired sustainable development goals in light ofthe developmental, economical, and societal challenges and obstacles facing theworld.

On the sidelines of the Forum, the minister engaged in anumber of bilateral meetings, including with the President of the UN GeneralAssembly,  Ambassador Dennis Francis, underscoring the Ambassador for thesuccess value  of the Forum as a crucial platform for monitoring progresstowards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and expressinged heranticipation for the outcomes of the upcoming Summit of the Future.

Dennis Francis, commended Bahrain's leadership inimplementing the SDGs, specifically noting the establishment of a dedicatedMinistry for Sustainable Development.

The minister also met with Dr. Rola Dashti, the ExecutiveSecretary for the UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA).The two sides discussed the Kingdom’s efforts in developing Bahrain's SDGdatabase and potential opportunities to collaborate to leverage internationalexpertise and best practices to accelerate sustainable development in Bahrain.