MUSCAT: In a compelling address at the UN Headquarters in New York earlier this week, Dr Said al Saqri, Minister of Economy and President of the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development, conveyed the Arab region's aspirations for accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to the international community.
The Arab Forum for Sustainable Development, convened under the theme "Working for Sustainability and Peace" in Beirut, emphasized peace, security, stability, and justice as foundational to advancing the SDGs. Dr Al Saqri highlighted the critical need for comprehensive reform of the multilateral system to ensure the implementation of UN resolutions, particularly urging an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and unconditional humanitarian aid access.
Addressing technological advancements as essential for life and technical necessities, Dr Al Saqri called on the international community to ensure that conflict-affected countries have access to communication technologies while legislating against their misuse of warfare.
Furthermore, the Forum stressed the importance of developing local digital skills among youth, supported by the private sector, enabling affordable learning of cutting-edge technologies and remote work opportunities with global companies.
Advocating for enhanced digital governance through global frameworks for certifying datasets used in artificial intelligence and algorithms, Dr Al Saqri emphasized the need to combat inequality and misinformation perpetuated by AI.
The call extended to reforming formal education systems for greater flexibility, focusing on scientific knowledge and enhancing interactive learning to align educational outputs with labour market demands.
Finally, Dr Al Saqri urged reforms in the international financial structure, particularly the equitable distribution of special drawing rights in the IMF, and increased representation of Southern countries, including Arab states, within global financial institutions.
The Forum appealed to financial institutions and donors to provide sufficient financial space and adequate funding for climate action in the least developed and conflict-affected countries in the region, emphasizing non-politicization of aid. Efforts must intensify alongside climate funds to attract financing under favorable terms to these nations, designing financing mechanisms tailored to their circumstances. Sustainable development financing cannot be detached from establishing effective, accountable institutions and governance frameworks that meet transparency standards, ensuring sound management of national budgets, expenditure efficiency, corruption prevention, and meeting the needs of vulnerable groups at risk of neglect.
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