Saudi Arabia Committed to Achieving Sustainable Development Goals, Says Envoy to UN

Saudi Arabia is committed to achieving sustainable development, and the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plans fall in line with the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development, said Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, Saudi Arabia’s permanent representative to the UN.

In his address to the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on sustainable development, Al-Mouallimi said that this year’s focus on empowerment, justice, comprehensiveness, and expertise exchange and capacity building would have a great impact on achieving the objectives of the sustainable development agenda and on overcoming the obstacles to a more inclusive and just world.

Al-Mouallimi stressed the Kingdom’s continuous efforts to create jobs through strategic initiatives and giant projects, and its great achievement in integrating its financial market to the indexes of international emerging markets, and to the UN initiatives for sustainable markets.

With regards to the environment, Al-Mouallimi pointed out that the Kingdom continues to strengthen its measures on climate change, toward the full implementation of the Paris Convention. In addition, it continues its cooperation with other GCC countries to meet global, environmental, and climatic challenges related to fossil fuel uses.

Al-Mouallimi noted that the Quality of Life Program 2020 continues to progress. The number of Saudi citizens over the age of 15 has increased by 50 percent in 2018. In addition, and as part of its commitment to the principle of inclusiveness and social diversity, a special residence system was established for non-Saudis to enable them to live with their families and to go about their work with ease.