New York, July (پاکستان پوائنٹ نیوز 16 يوليو 2026ء) The Saudi delegation, headed by Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal Alibrahim, brought together representatives from 14 public, private, and third-sector entities. The delegation included representatives from the ministries of economy and planning, foreign affairs, energy, education, environment, water and agriculture, and municipalities and housing, Al 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 CIFAL Saudi Arabia Center.
A key milestone of the Kingdom’s participation was the presentation of its third Voluntary National Review (VNR), which reflects a whole-of-society effort involving more than 140 entities across government, the private sector, academia, NGOs, and the United Nations system. It provides a comprehensive assessment of Saudi Arabia’s progress in implementing the 2030 Agenda and outlines priorities for the years ahead. The VNR demonstrates how Saudi Vision 2030 has translated the SDGs into a national delivery model through the National Sustainable Development Blueprint, organizing more than 90 development priorities into nine integrated missions focused on improving outcomes for people, the economy, and the environment.
The Saudi delegation participated in thematic reviews of the HLPF 2026 focus goals, general debates, town hall meetings, ministerial segments, and bilateral meetings. Several delegation representatives also contributed interventions and remarks across sessions on topics including sustainable development finance, SDG localization, water and sanitation, clean energy, innovation, sustainable cities, and global partnerships. The Kingdom also hosted a series of side events and an exhibition, highlighting Saudi Arabia’s integrated approach to sustainable development, international cooperation, and knowledge exchange.
On the sidelines of the forum, the Ministry of Economy and Planning convened its official side event, "Rethinking SDG Delivery Through Prioritization and Implementation Approaches", bringing together policymakers and development leaders to discuss practical approaches to accelerating SDG implementation.
The General Authority for Awqaf, in collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), also co-convened the high-level roundtable "Unlocking Sustainable Development Finance: Governance, Impact Measurement, and the Future Role of Awqaf", highlighting the contributions of endowments for the first time in Saudi Arabia’s 2026 third Voluntary National Review and showcasing the Kingdom’s endowment model. The roundtable featured the Awqaf Excellence Index, a Saudi model for measuring the performance of endowment institutions, and explored opportunities for its application internationally.
The Kingdom also hosted the "Advancing Sustainable Development in Saudi Arabia" exhibition, presented by Expo 2030 Riyadh and the Saudi Sports for All Federation, showcasing national initiatives advancing sustainable, inclusive, and future-ready communities in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
As part of the Kingdom’s participation in the forum, Al Madinah Region Development Authority showcased the Kingdom’s leadership in localizing the Sustainable Development Goals at the local level. The authority presented the Madinah model as a leading national example of leveraging data and urban knowledge to support planning and decision-making, and discussed a number of institutional initiatives and tools, most notably the Second Voluntary Local Review, the Atlas of Sustainable Development in Madinah Neighborhoods, the Madinah Resilience Report, and the Manarah Urban Data Platform. It also introduced the Neighborhood Diagnostic Methodology to expand its potential international application, reflecting the maturity of Saudi Arabia’s experience and its contribution to developing sustainable urban solutions that can be applied globally.
During the HLPF, the Ministry of Economy and Planning launched the Corporate Sustainability Report 2025, highlighting the growing role of Saudi Arabia’s private sector in advancing sustainability and supporting Saudi Vision 2030 and national sustainability priorities. In collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the ministry also launched the Future of Global Development report, examining how the Kingdom is advancing a new model of development cooperation that combines financing, expertise, innovation, and partnerships to address global challenges and support sustainable development outcomes.
Alibrahim held a series of bilateral meetings with ministers, senior government officials, and leaders of international organizations to strengthen partnerships and advance cooperation on sustainable development, economic growth, and the implementation of the SDGs.
Saudi Arabia’s participation at HLPF 2026 reflects the Kingdom’s continued commitment to strengthening international partnerships, sharing the experience of Saudi Vision 2030, and contributing practical solutions that accelerate sustainable development and support the achievement of the 2030 Agenda.
