Dashti’s remarks came on Wednesday during the launch of the “Second National Consultation on Implementing and Monitoring the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”, which was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Kingdom of Morocco.
“VNRs are a national process of an integrated and participatory nature, led by Governments to self-assess, understand the facts, national circumstances, and opportunities for achieving an inclusive and just sustainable development that leaves no one behind,” she said. “It is not just a report but a participatory process that helps in consolidating a transformative approach, and translating the values and principles of Agenda 2030 into coordinated and integrated policies,” she added.
“We are confident that 2020 VNRs will be more comprehensive and broader than the ones submitted in the first phase following the adoption of SDGs in 2015,” Dashti added.
The Executive Secretary commended Morocco’s efforts in translating its international commitments on the ground by aligning its major development plans with the Global Goals, and through establishing a development model that aims to provide decent living conditions for all and sustaining environment and natural resources.
Since the adoption of Agenda 2030, the support of ESCWA to Arab countries was not limited to national development paths but also included regional ones paving the way for international processes. ESCWA continued to organize annual forums, i.e., the Arab Forum for Sustainable Development, the Arab Region Parliamentary Forum on the 2030 Agenda, and the Regional Meeting of Civil Society on Sustainable Development in the Arab Region.
Dashti underscored that ESCWA organizes numerous regional meetings on sustainable development issues, which made it an indispensable venue for dialogue, consensus-building and monitoring progress towards sustainable development objectives. It is a comprehensive forum that embraces all stakeholders, and promotes dialogue and coordination among them to reach a unified Arab voice in order for ESCWA to convey it to international forums.
The Executive Secretary concluded by saying, “We praise the support provided by the Kingdom to achieve sustainable development in the Arab region and Africa, and to host the Sixth Meeting of the Executive Committee of ESCWA, which will be held in the coming days and we look forward to maintaining our cooperation with the Kingdom and all our partners to transform our countries and our region and achieve sustainable, just and inalienable development, promising a better future for our young generations.”
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For more information:
-Nabil Abu-Dargham, Head, ESCWA Communication and Information Unit,
+961-70-993-144; email: dargham@un.org
-Ms Rania Harb, Public Information Assistant, +961-70-008-879; email: harb1@un.org
-Ms Maryam Sleiman, Public Information Assistant, +9611978815, email: sleiman2@un.org
