Manama, June 24 (BNA): Prior to its presentation at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which is set to take place at the UN Headquarters in New York in July, the Ministry of Sustainable Development submitted the Kingdom of Bahrain’s Third Voluntary National Review (VNR) for publication on the UN website. The theme of this year’s Forum is “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its Sustainable Development Goals for a sustainable future for all.”
Sustainable Development Ministry publishes Bahrain’s third voluntary national review on progress towards achieving Sustainable Development Goals
Under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the orders of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Kingdom continues to make steady progress in consolidating its comprehensive development approach, according to Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (EDB). At a stage that necessitates accelerating efforts towards achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
The Minister went on to say that despite the unique circumstances and growing difficulties in the area, the Kingdom is continuing its unwavering commitment to pursuing sustainability initiatives across the social, economic, and environmental dimensions.
The Kingdom of Bahrain’s aims and strategy for incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals into the national development agenda are reflected in the 2026 Voluntary National Review. It outlines the Kingdom’s development path from investing in human capital through healthcare, education, training, and social support to protecting its history, culture, and sense of national identity and creating a more sustainable future through environmental preservation, climate action, innovation, and digital transformation, as well as promoting inclusive growth and economic sustainability.
In keeping with the theme of this year’s High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, each section of the report provides examples of strategies, projects, and initiatives that demonstrate the Kingdom’s transformative, all-encompassing, inventive, and integrated efforts in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Goals.
An efficient method for examining and evaluating national plans pertaining to the execution of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is the voluntary national review. They promote success stories, difficulties, and lessons learned, encourage the sharing of best practices and experiences, and help to accelerate the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Two voluntary national reviews were previously given by the Kingdom, the first in 2018 and the second in 2023. The latter examined the policies adopted by the Kingdom and the accelerators supporting the implementation of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, including the commitment to carbon neutrality and digital transformation; highlighted national efforts to accelerate recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic through the launch of the Economic Recovery Plan; and reflected the alignment of national plans and strategies with the Sustainable Development Goals.
The Kingdom of Bahrain’s continuous efforts to attain economic, social, and environmental sustainability through the projects and initiatives of Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 are reflected in the preparation of the Third Voluntary National Review. It also shows Bahrain’s dedication to building strong national and international alliances that promote prosperity and peace while creating a sustainable future for future generations.
