The Madinah Region Development Authority showcased its experience in localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and its key practices in utilizing data to support urban development and improve quality of life in Madinah, during a session titled 'From the Ground to the Top: Working at the Local Level' as part of the 2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, held at UN Headquarters in New York. A pioneering approach The Executive Director of Data and Innovation at the Madinah Region Development Authority, Eng. Abdulrahman Ibrahim, discussed during the session the pioneering approach that Madinah has established globally by shifting from reliance on aggregate indicators to spatial and detailed data at the neighborhood level, which helps identify invisible development gaps, supports evidence-based decision-making, and reinforces the principle of 'leaving no one behind' embodied by the SDGs. A global initiative During the event, the authority touched on Madinah's experience in developing an integrated system for urban data analysis and linking it to the SDGs, enabling the direction of investments, policies, and development initiatives according to the needs of each neighborhood, improving urban planning efficiency, and enhancing quality of life. The Madinah Region Development Authority also presented a recommendation during the session to build an 'Alliance of Actors,' a global initiative based on three pillars: systemic, governance, and technical, in partnership with several national and international entities. It aims to enhance the alignment of systems and policies, develop governance frameworks, and provide technical tools and methodologies that enable cities to bridge the gap between official reports and development reality at the neighborhood level, thus contributing to accelerating the achievement of the SDGs and exchanging experiences and building capacities among cities worldwide.

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