New York, Safar 02, 1448 AH corresponding to July 16, 2026 SPA - The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia concluded its participation in the 2026 United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, held from July 7 to 15, 2026 in New York, affirming its commitment to continue its efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, based on the targets of Saudi Vision 2030. The Kingdom's delegation to the forum was headed by His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Planning, Mr. Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim, and included representatives from 14 government entities, private sector, and non-profit sector, namely: Ministry of Economy and Planning, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, Madinah Region Development Authority, General Authority for Endowments, Saudi Fund for Development, Expo 2030 Riyadh Company, Saudi Green Building Forum, Saudi Sports for All Federation, Majmaah University, and Sefal Saudi Center. The Kingdom's participation included the presentation of the third Voluntary National Review report, which contained the results of extensive participatory efforts involving more than 140 entities from the public and private sectors, academic institutions, and the non-profit sector, in addition to the United Nations system. The report comprehensively monitors the progress achieved by the Kingdom in implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Plan, along with lessons learned and future priorities. It also reflects the approach adopted by Saudi Vision 2030 in aligning the global Sustainable Development Goals with a national implementation model, through the National Sustainable Development Plan, which organizes more than 90 development priorities within nine integrated tasks focusing on achieving measurable outcomes for people, economy, and environment. The delegation participated in reviewing the progress of the Sustainable Development Goals, general sessions, ministerial meetings, and bilateral meetings, in addition to making interventions in several sessions covering topics such as sustainable development financing, localization of Sustainable Development Goals, water and sanitation services, clean energy, innovation, sustainable cities, and international partnerships. The Kingdom also organized a number of side events, along with an accompanying exhibition, through which it showcased its integrated approach to sustainable development and its efforts to enhance international cooperation and exchange of expertise and knowledge. On the sidelines of the forum, the Ministry of Economy and Planning organized a side event titled "Rethinking SDG Implementation through Prioritization and Implementation Approaches," with the participation of a number of policymakers and development leaders to discuss best practical practices for accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. The General Authority for Endowments, represented by the Riyada Center, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), organized a high-level roundtable titled "Unlocking the Potential of Sustainable Development Financing: Governance, Impact Measurement, and the Future Role of Endowments," during which it showcased for the first time the contributions of the endowments sector within the Kingdom's third Voluntary National Review for 2026, in addition to highlighting the Saudi model in the endowments sector and presenting the "Endowment Excellence Index" as a national model for measuring the performance of endowment institutions, and discussing opportunities to benefit from it internationally. The Kingdom held an accompanying exhibition titled "Enhancing Sustainability in Saudi Arabia," co-organized by Expo 2030 Riyadh Company and the Saudi Sports for All Federation, to showcase national initiatives that contribute to building more sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready societies, in line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030. As part of the Kingdom's participation in the forum, the participation of the Madinah Region Development Authority embodied the Kingdom's leadership in localizing the Sustainable Development Goals at the local level. The Authority presented the Madinah model as one of the leading national models in utilizing urban data and knowledge to support planning and decision-making. The Authority also showcased a number of initiatives and institutional tools, most notably the second Local Voluntary Review, the Neighborhood Sustainable Development Atlas, the City Resilience Report, and the "Manara" urban data platform, in addition to introducing the "Neighborhood Diagnosis Methodology" to expand its use internationally, reflecting the maturity of the Saudi experience and its contribution to developing sustainable urban solutions applicable globally. During the forum, the Ministry of Economy and Planning launched both the Corporate Sustainability Report 2025, which highlights the growing role of the private sector in supporting sustainability and achieving the targets of Saudi Vision 2030 and related national priorities, and the Global Development Future Report in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme, which presents the Kingdom's model in development cooperation through employing financing, expertise, innovation, and partnerships to contribute to addressing global challenges and supporting sustainable development outcomes. His Excellency the Minister of Economy and Planning held a series of bilateral meetings with a number of ministers, senior officials, and leaders of international organizations, during which ways to enhance cooperation and partnerships in the areas of sustainable development, economic growth, and implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals were discussed. It is noteworthy that the Kingdom's participation in the 2026 High-Level Political Forum reflects its continued commitment to strengthening international partnerships, sharing the experience of Saudi Vision 2030, and contributing to the development of practical solutions that support accelerating the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals and the 2030 Sustainable Development Plan. // End // 16:11 T M 0098