General / Secretary of Madinah Region Reviews City's Experience in Localizing Sustainable Development Goals in New York

New York, Safar 01, 1448 AH corresponding to July 15, 2026, SPA. His Excellency Engineer Fahd bin Mohammed Al-Bulayhi, Secretary of Madinah Region and Chief Executive Officer of the Region Development Authority, affirmed that cities have become key partners in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, thanks to the empowerment and integration provided by Saudi Vision 2030 across various levels of development work. This came during his participation in the Forum of Local and Regional Governments, held as part of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2026 at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, USA. During his participation, His Excellency reviewed Madinah's experience as a national model in localizing the Sustainable Development Goals and transforming the targets of Saudi Vision 2030 into development policies and initiatives with tangible impact at the local level. He stated that Madinah has continued to develop its institutional model for localizing the Sustainable Development Goals, based on global frameworks and standards, including environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, which enhances sustainable investment, supports urban planning and data-driven decision-making, and improves quality of life. His Excellency also noted that Madinah completed its second local voluntary review, as part of a continuous process of measuring progress, monitoring development indicators, and developing evidence-based policies. He emphasized that the review serves as a bridge between subnational action and national voluntary reviews, enhancing integration across different levels of development work and enabling cities to benefit from successful experiences and adapt them according to their development priorities. His Excellency also reviewed Madinah's experience in analyzing sustainable development indicators at the neighborhood level through the 'Madinah Neighborhoods Atlas,' the first of its kind globally, noting the transition achieved last year from localized SDG initiatives to an integrated institutional system supporting planning and decision-making. He stressed the importance of accelerating progress on Goals 6, 7, 9, and 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which the forum is reviewing this year, pointing out that achieving the targets of Goal 17 requires effective partnerships and well-established cooperation frameworks among various entities, giving data and policies their real impact in achieving development. He explained that this people-centered approach, based on partnership and data, was crowned by Madinah winning the Shanghai 2025 Sustainable Development Award for Cities, in recognition of its excellence in localizing the SDGs at the local level. At the conclusion of his participation, His Excellency renewed Madinah's commitment to continuing work with its partners, exchanging expertise, and building effective partnerships that contribute to accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, affirming that the future of sustainable development is made through partnership, led by cities, and measured by its impact on people's lives. // End //20:01 PM 0162

New York, Safar 01, 1448 AH corresponding to July 15, 2026, SPA. His Excellency Engineer Fahd bin Mohammed Al-Bulayhi, Secretary of Madinah Region and Chief Executive Officer of the Region Development Authority, affirmed that cities have become key partners in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, thanks to the empowerment and integration provided by Saudi Vision 2030 across various levels of development work. This came during his participation in the Forum of Local and Regional Governments, held as part of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development 2026 at the United Nations headquarters in New York City, USA. During his participation, His Excellency reviewed Madinah's experience as a national model in localizing the Sustainable Development Goals and transforming the targets of Saudi Vision 2030 into development policies and initiatives with tangible impact at the local level. He stated that Madinah has continued to develop its institutional model for localizing the Sustainable Development Goals, based on global frameworks and standards, including environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria, which enhances sustainable investment, supports urban planning and data-driven decision-making, and improves quality of life. His Excellency also noted that Madinah completed its second local voluntary review, as part of a continuous process of measuring progress, monitoring development indicators, and developing evidence-based policies. He emphasized that the review serves as a bridge between subnational action and national voluntary reviews, enhancing integration across different levels of development work and enabling cities to benefit from successful experiences and adapt them according to their development priorities. His Excellency also reviewed Madinah's experience in analyzing sustainable development indicators at the neighborhood level through the 'Madinah Neighborhoods Atlas,' the first of its kind globally, noting the transition achieved last year from localized SDG initiatives to an integrated institutional system supporting planning and decision-making. He stressed the importance of accelerating progress on Goals 6, 7, 9, and 11 of the Sustainable Development Goals, which the forum is reviewing this year, pointing out that achieving the targets of Goal 17 requires effective partnerships and well-established cooperation frameworks among various entities, giving data and policies their real impact in achieving development. He explained that this people-centered approach, based on partnership and data, was crowned by Madinah winning the Shanghai 2025 Sustainable Development Award for Cities, in recognition of its excellence in localizing the SDGs at the local level. At the conclusion of his participation, His Excellency renewed Madinah's commitment to continuing work with its partners, exchanging expertise, and building effective partnerships that contribute to accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, affirming that the future of sustainable development is made through partnership, led by cities, and measured by its impact on people's lives. // End //20:01 PM 0162