Workshop on Sustainable Development Goals

PLANS for sustainable cities in Bahrain form the basis of a report that will be presented to the United Nations in July. It outlines plans for clean water sanitation, renewable energy and responsible consumption and production. Bahrain is voluntarily presenting its first national report on Sustainable Development Goal achievements to the 2018 High Level Political Forum of the UN Economic and Social Council in New York. Details were revealed during a workshop organised by the Bahrain Centre for Strategic, International and Energy Studies (Derasat) in collaboration with the National Committee for Information yesterday. The workshop, at Bahrain University, was attended by Derasat chairman and Bahrain Foreign Ministry Under-Secretary for International Affairs Dr Shaikh Abdulla bin Ahmed Al Khalifa and UN Resident Co-ordinator and UN Development Programme (UNDP) Resident Representative Amin El Sharkawi, Shura Council members, municipal council representatives and academics. Also present was Arabian Gulf University (AGU) College of Graduate Studies Technical Studies vice-dean Dr Asma Abahussain, chief writer of the report, and Bahrain University President Dr Riyadh Hamza. “Through a collaboration with state entities and experts we can together exchange information and raise a report to the UN by Bahrain,” said Dr Abahussain. She stressed the importance of the country working towards sustainable development in three critical fields: social, economic and environmental. “The report will mention all the sustainable development goals, but will focus on the detailed analysis of six,” she added. The report aims to identify gaps in achieving development goals, while sharing success stories and lessons with the world to achieve the government’s 2030 Vision. Meanwhile, iGA director general of statistics Dr Nabeel bin Shams highlighted development goal feedback from the community. “According to civil society organisations, 24 per cent considered quality education the top priority, followed by 16pc ranking good health, while 12pc considered no poverty as most important and finally 10pc ranked good jobs and economy,” he said. He said quality education was also the most important requirement identified by the private sector, ranked top by 18pc of respondents.

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