Arab world needs $230bn to achieve goals
ROYAL DIRECTIVES INSPIRE SULTANATE TO REACH UN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AIMS
The Arab world needs $230 billion to achieve the sustainable development goals (SDGS) by 2030, while the world will require $5-7 trillion, Minister of Civil Service Shaikh Khalid bin Omar al Marhoon has said.
“The world also needs 470 million jobs if SDGS are to be achieved by 2030,” Al Marhoon said at a two-day conference titled ‘The Role of Arab Governments in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals for 2030’, which began here on Monday.
“Despite the shrinking of resources in the recent period, thanks to the Royal directives of His Majesty Sultan Qaboos, spending continues as it was on education, health, security and social welfare. The Sultanate has been able to achieve many of the objectives of sustainable development (17 goals) during the last period and this confirms the sound economic and social policies applied by the Sultanate.”
Stating that SDGS are based on economic, social and environmental pillars, he said in terms of gender equality, Omani women have a stronger presence in higher education level, while 49 per cent of employees in the Civil Service are women.
He felt there should be more dialogue between government, social and civil societies. “Reduction in income has resulted in a decrease in the funding, but has not impacted health, social development and security.”
His Highness Sayyid Asaad bin Tareq al Said, Deputy Prime Minister for International Relations and Cooperation Affairs and Personal Representative of His Majesty the Sultan, told the Observer: “This conference has the knowledge and I think the group that has gathered in Oman will provide further insights and I hope these two days will see a fruitful result for further planning.”
HH Sayyid Asaad said the Sultanate, thanks to the Royal directives of His Majesty the Sultan, is keen to achieve the goals of sustainable development approved by the United Nations General Assembly in the presence of world leaders and heads of governments on September 25, 2015.
He said the Sultanate has achieved good indicators in the goals of sustainable development and it is continuing to achieve prosperity and human development on the basis that man is the ultimate goal of development, adding: “We, in Oman, are keen to develop our economy while preserving the environment to protect the rights of future generations.”