New york: Mayor of Madinah Region and CEO of Al Madinah Region Development Authority Fahad Albulihshi reaffirmed Saudi Arabia's commitment to the United Nations Pact for the Future, which emphasizes the importance of multilateral cooperation to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs).
According to Saudi Press Agency, Albulihshi delivered the Kingdom's address at the Local and Regional Governments Forum, held as part of the 2025 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) at the UN headquarters in New York. He highlighted the pivotal role played by Saudi development authorities for regions and cities, along with the Quality of Life Program, in translating SDGs into tangible outcomes, driven by Saudi Vision 2030 and supported by the Kingdom's leadership. He stated that these authorities aim to balance economic, social, and environmental development.
In Madinah, the mayor noted the region's leading role in SDGs localization, which includes the issuance of the 2023 Voluntary Local Review for Madinah and the 2024 Sustainable Development Status Report. He also showcased the launch of the Atlas of Sustainable Development in Al Madinah Neighbourhoods, a first-of-its-kind analysis of residential development using urban indicators.
The forum discussed how to align local high-impact policies, partnerships, multi-level governance, investment, and financing to advance the SDGs. It emphasized collaboration among multi-level stakeholders as a key factor in achieving sustainable development objectives.
The forum's program included a high-level dialogue on how local and regional authorities can support the 2030 Agenda, particularly in localizing the SDGs. Discussions covered the goals under review, the Cities Countdown to 2030, and accelerating efforts to implement the SDGs for a sustainable future. The forum concluded with a foresight exercise on providing local public services in a sustainable and inclusive manner for future generations.