The governments of the UAE and Bahrain discussed ways of enhancing their cooperation and exchanging knowledge and expertise in sustainable development.

They also reviewed ways of supporting their joint aspirations to establish a supportive and enabling government model to achieve their national plans and international sustainable development goals.

The discussion took place during the official visit of Noor Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development of Bahrain, to the UAE, which aimed to explore the UAE's innovative government practices and its model for achieving sustainable development as part of the efforts of both governments to expand their cooperation and exchange experiences in the areas of government work and sustainable development.

Alkhulaif met with Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange and Deputy Chairman of the National Committee for Sustainable Development Goals, to review the efforts of the UAE and Bahrain to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Agenda at both the national and international levels.

She also lauded the exceptional and innovative models developed by the UAE Government in various areas of government work, affirming the commitment of the Bahraini Government to exchange knowledge and share experiences with the UAE Government in areas related to government work and initiatives, to achieve sustainable development.

Lootah affirmed that the UAE Government is keen to strengthen regional and international partnerships aimed at addressing sustainable development challenges through its active participation in the international efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals 2030, as the UAE’s leadership believes that constructive partnerships, knowledge sharing and exchanging expertise represent the optimal formula for achieving sustainability goals.

Lootah then stressed that the UAE has a clear vision for the future and is leading the efforts to achieve the sustainable development goals, which is highlighted by the declaration of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan allocating 2023 as the Year of Sustainability, underscoring the UAE's approach to promoting sustainability.

He also affirmed that hosting the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November reflects the country's commitment to actively lead international efforts in this vital field for the future of humanity.

The UAE Government, led by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has become a pioneering global model of drafting, implementing and leading initiatives aimed at promoting sustainable development, which is highlighted by the UAE ranking first ahead of other countries in 16 sub-indicators related to achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, according to the UAE Numbers Report 2022 issued by the Federal Competitiveness and Statistics Centre.

Alkhulaif learnt about the best practices and innovative work models developed by the UAE Government in various areas and listened to an explanation about its performance assessment system, which was developed to ensure the highest levels of excellence and government efficiency through the establishment of performance indicators and the adoption of advanced evaluation mechanisms that enable government leaders to continue improving performance on sustainable foundations.

She also met with the team of the Government Experience Exchange Office and listened to an explanation about the Government Experience Exchange Programme launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, and learnt about the programme’s objectives and achievements over the past five years since its launch, as well as its positive partnerships with 30 countries around the world.