Muscat: Oman has achieved 14 of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) outlined in the United Nations Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030. This was revealed during the seventh session of the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development convened by the United Nations Environment Assembly, which highlighted the necessity for unified efforts to address pressing global issues. Overall, Oman implemented 82.2 per cent of the goals.
At the forum, the Oman delegation headed by Dr Said bin Mohammed al Saqri, Minister of Economy, presented the second voluntary national review, which focused on the progress of Oman in implementing the sustainable development goals, its initiatives to achieve financial and economic sustainability and achieve the well-being of its citizens. On the sidelines of the forum, the delegation organised an exhibition with the aim of informing the forum participants on Oman's progress in implementing the SDGs and its keenness to ensure consistency between these goals and the targets of Oman Vision 2040.
Among the goals achieved by Oman is the empowerment of women socially, economically and politically, as Omani women represent about 32.1 per cent of the total workforce. Oman has also adopted an advanced social protection system based on international standards, which covers workers in the public and private sectors through insurance and social protection programmes. It also provides many benefits to the elderly, children, people with disabilities, orphans and widows.
To achieve SDG on youths, 360 initiatives were launched, the most important of which is the establishment of a youth centre to empower them with future skills and enhance their role in sustainable development. Oman has prepared a strategy to develop youth capabilities and has allocated a national youth day. To tackle climate change, Oman is implementing a national plan to reach zero carbon neutrality by 2050, and adopts a strategy for the energy sector to shift towards renewables, raise the efficiency of energy consumption and reduce emissions in all sectors.
In food security, Oman is ranked 35th in the Global Food Security Index, and is committed to transforming its food and water systems towards sustainability. In environmental sustainability, Oman rose to 50th place globally in the Global Environmental Performance Index, and many initiatives and programmes are being implemented that preserve biodiversity.
Oman has successfully implemented the medium-term financial plan 2020-2024, which stabilised the financial situation, reduced the size of public debt from about 70 per cent in 2020 to 38 per cent by the end of 2023, raised the credit rating and reduced the break-even price of oil. This progress in financial sustainability contributes to enhancing the prospects for economic diversification, which enables Oman to successfully move forward in achieving the SDGs and its ambitious future vision in keeping pace with the requirements of sustainable development.
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