Dubai - New York: The United Arab Emirates delegation to the United Nations’ High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development has reiterated its commitment to international partnerships in support of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

During a session titled “Unlocking Investments for the SDGs”, His Excellency Abdullah Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, and Chairman of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, stressed that the UAE recognizes the magnitude of the challenges facing the SDGs and has created global programs and investment tools in response.

The session took place on the first day of the forum, which runs from July 8-17 and is organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs in New York.

“The UAE has adopted a comprehensive approach to accelerating the implementation of SDGs as we count down to 2030,” HE said.

HE Lootah added: “The UAE will continue to forge regional and international partnerships with both the public and private sectors to accelerate progress towards achieving SDGs by 2030, including partnerships that improve quality of life and contribute to eradicating poverty. The UAE’s development programs and investments extend beyond its borders to many countries worldwide. The country has forged partnerships with governments, development banks, and private sector institutions to achieve as much impact as quickly as possible.”

During the session, HE highlighted a range of initiatives implemented by national entities such as the Emirates Red Crescent, the Ministry of Interior, the Abu Dhabi Development Fund, the Government Experience Exchange Programme, Masdar, and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives.

The session was attended by government officials and representatives of international authorities and organizations. It focused on revitalizing global partnerships for sustainable development, a priority outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals 2024 Report launched by António Guterres, Secretary-General of the UN in June, and highlighted opportunities and challenges around bridging the global financial gap when it comes to achieving SDGs, with a focus on activating the role of international and multilateral financial institutions.

The UAE's Participation on the First Day

The UAE delegation on the first day of the forum participated in sessions that focused on SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), sustainable growth, energy transition and climate action. Additionally, the delegation held numerous bilateral meetings with delegations from participating countries, institutions, and organizations.

Since its establishment in 2012, the High-Level Political Forum has served as the primary platform for the United Nations to discuss sustainable development. It plays a central role in monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Under the theme of ‘Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels’, this year's forum will review in-depth SDGs 1, 2, 13, 16, and 17.