New York, 16 July 2026, SPA – The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia concluded its participation in the 2026 United Nations High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which was held from 7 to 15 July 2026 in New York City, reaffirming 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 Minister of Economy and Planning, Mr. Faisal bin Fadhel Al-Ibrahim, and included representatives from 14 government, private, and non-profit entities: 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 Awqaf, Saudi Fund for Development, Expo 2030 Riyadh Company, Saudi Green Building Forum, Saudi Sports for All Federation, Majmaah University, and Saudi CEFAL Center. The Kingdom's participation featured the presentation of the third Voluntary National Review report, which included the results of extensive participatory efforts with over 140 entities from the government, private sector, academia, non-profit sector, and the UN system. The report comprehensively monitors the Kingdom's progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, along with lessons learned and future priorities. The report also reflects the approach of Saudi Vision 2030 in aligning the global SDGs with a national implementation model through the National Sustainable Development Plan, which organizes more than 90 development priorities within nine integrated tasks focusing on measurable outcomes for people, economy, and environment. The delegation participated in reviewing progress on the SDGs, general sessions, ministerial meetings, bilateral meetings, and delivered interventions in several sessions covering topics such as sustainable development financing, localization of the SDGs, water and sanitation, clean energy, innovation, sustainable cities, and international partnerships. The Kingdom also organized a number of side events and an accompanying exhibition showcasing its integrated approach to sustainable development and its efforts to enhance international cooperation and exchange of expertise. On the sidelines of the forum, the Ministry of Economy and Planning organized a side event titled: 'Rethinking the Implementation of the SDGs through Prioritization and Implementation Approaches,' with the participation of policymakers and development leaders to discuss best practices for accelerating the achievement of the SDGs. The General Authority for Awqaf, represented by 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 Awqaf,' which showcased for the first time the contributions of the awqaf sector in the Kingdom's third Voluntary National Review for 2026, highlighted the Saudi model in the awqaf sector, presented the 'Awqaf Excellence Index' as a national model for measuring the performance of awqaf institutions, and discussed opportunities to benefit from it internationally. The Kingdom also held an accompanying exhibition titled: 'Advancing Sustainability in Saudi Arabia,' jointly 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 communities, in line with the targets of Saudi Vision 2030. As part of the Kingdom's participation, the Madinah Region Development Authority demonstrated the Kingdom's leadership in localizing the SDGs at the local level, presenting 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 presented a number of initiatives and institutional tools, most notably the second Local Voluntary Review, the Sustainable Development Atlas of Neighborhoods, the City Resilience Report, the 'Manara' platform for urban data, and 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 also launched the 2025 Corporate Sustainability Report, 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 cooperation with the UNDP, 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 several ministers, senior officials, and leaders of international organizations, during which ways to enhance cooperation and partnerships in the fields of sustainable development, economic growth, and implementation of the SDGs were discussed. It is worth noting 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 developing practical solutions that support accelerating the achievement of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. // End //16:11 Mecca Time 0098