SDG 17: a New Report Highlights Bahrain’s Achievements within its Ongoing Partnerships for the Goals

Days ahead of Bahrain’s presentation of its second Voluntary National Review at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development in New York, a new report produced by Bahrain’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Bahrain has highlighted Bahrain’s achievements within its longstanding partnerships for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) .

Entitled “Bahrain’s partnership & Contributions Report: Bahrain as a Global Actor, Promoting Cohesion and Prosperity (2015-2022)”, the report was unveiled on 13 July at a launching ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Manama with the participation of Heads of UN entities, accredited diplomats, and Government officials.

The report is a snapshot of the Kingdom’s global contributions and partnerships to achieve the SGDs, including SDG 17. It collects and analyzes data from various sources to present the trends and beneficiaries of Bahrain’s initiatives and efforts from 2015 to 2022.

The report also highlights the Government of Bahrain’s international engagements, including humanitarian assistance and South-South cooperation, as well as its commitment to universal access to quality education and primary health care for all residents in Bahrain.

“This Partnership report provides a snapshot of the Kingdom’s contributions towards humanitarian assistance and efforts to the achievement of SDGs at the national, regional, and global levels. The report is directly addressing Bahrain’s efforts towards achieving Goal 17 targets on partnerships entitled “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development”. It demonstrates that achieving the SDGs requires the partnerships of governments, private sector, civil society, academia, and citizens to make sure we leave a better planet for future generations”, said Mr Firas Gharaibeh, UNDP Resident Representative a.i.

“This report is a testament to the strong partnership between the Government of Bahrain and the United Nations and it highlights the Kingdom of Bahrain’s initiatives and efforts to achieve SDGs with a focus on SDG 17, which emphasizes the importance of sharing knowledge and resources so that everyone can benefit from the best of what the world has to offer. Bahrain is a good example of this, as it has built strong international partnerships that have helped the country to achieve significant development. Bahrain has imported many technologies and educational resources from other countries, and it has also exported its own expertise to help other countries develop”, said His Excellency Dr. Shaikh Abdullah bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Political Affairs Undersecretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Cooperation and partnerships are important because they allow us to share resources, knowledge, and expertise. This is essential for both long-term development and responding to immediate crises. We also need to share the benefits of human creativity and make sure that everyone has access to the solutions and information that has been generated”, His Excellency said.  

The longstanding partnership between the United Nations and the Kingdom of Bahrain is currently captured in the Strategic and Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (SCF) 2019-2024, a partnership for achieving results, including the SDGs, for all people in Bahrain.

Later on this week, Bahrain is scheduled to present its second VNR at the HLPF,  which is being held in New York  from 10 to 19 July, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).  The theme of this year’s Forum is " Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels”.