On Wednesday, July 23, His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, Secretary-General of the National Planning Council, presented the State of Qatar’s 2025 Voluntary National Review (VNR) at the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF), held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Through a comprehensive presentation, His Excellency outlined the key elements of Qatar’s VNR 2025, highlighting the country’s progress in implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in alignment with the Qatar National Vision 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy. Furthermore, H.E. addressed national priorities and examined the challenges faced in advancing sustainable development.
His Excellency stated: “By integrating the Sustainable Development Goals into national strategies, Qatar has successfully laid the foundations for innovation, inclusion and future foresight, driving strategic investments in education, healthcare, workforce development and a green economy. This alignment is further enabled by Qatar’s leading role as a global convenor of sustainability dialogue, exemplified by its hosting of internationally recognized forums such as the Qatar Economic Forum, the Doha Forum and the Web Summit.”
He added: “Qatar’s fourth Voluntary National Review encompassed a whole-of-society approach, involving a wide spectrum of stakeholders across non-profit organizations, civil society, academia, the public and private sectors, as well as international and regional organizations. Through three national workshops, the NPC facilitated a participatory process that incorporated interactive tools, open forums and collaborative drafting sessions.”
Commenting on youth engagement in VNR preparation, H.E. remarked: “Youth participation was a central feature, with young people actively engaged in thematic sessions and brainstorming sessions to assess the progress made towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.”
His Excellency concluded: “I reiterate the words of His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Amir of the State of Qatar, who emphasized that Qatar will spare no effort in working alongside its international partners and the United Nations to consolidate peace, sustainable development, human rights, and the rule of law at all levels, and to confront global challenges in pursuit of a better future for all. This underscores Qatar’s firm belief that equitable, inclusive, and balanced development lies at the heart of our shared global journey—achieved through a careful balance between economic growth, social development, and environmental protection.”
It should be noted that H.E. the Secretary-General of the National Planning Council led Qatar’s delegation to the HLPF, held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York from 14 to 23 July. The Forum convened under the theme: “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for leaving no one behind.” The HLPF serves as the UN’s central platform for reviewing global progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It brings together heads of member states, international organizations, and civil society to assess performance and accelerate action toward the realization of the SDGs.
On Monday, 21 July, His Excellency delivered the State of Qatar’s national statement before the HLPF, in which he affirmed: “As the United Nations approaches its 80th anniversary, the State of Qatar remains firmly committed to the core principles of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This commitment is deeply embedded in our national development framework, Qatar National Vision 2030, and actively realized through the implementation of our Third National Development Strategy (2024–2030). Anchored in determination, the Strategy aims to transform global commitments into measurable national progress.”
He added: “Qatar fully recognizes that the path to sustainable development cannot be pursued in isolation and that it requires global cooperation. Qatar continues to deepen its engagement with the United Nations and its specialized agencies. As host of the UN House in Doha, we are proud to collaborate with agencies such as UNDP, UNICEF, OCHA, and IOM to advance global development, humanitarian response, and capacity-building initiatives.”
His Excellency also participated in a side panel titled “Demographic Resilience and Sustainable Development”, where he underscored the importance of proactively preparing for demographic shifts through foresight, inclusion, and data-driven strategies.
In addition, H.E. took part in a high-level session on Adequate Housing for All, where he delivered closing remarks, highlighting Qatar’s comprehensive housing policies and their central role in preparation for the World Summit for Social Development to be hosted in Doha next November. His Excellency also engaged in high-level discussions on the economic opportunities emerging from the global transition to clean energy.
In parallel, the Secretary-General held bilateral meetings to explore avenues for cooperation in sustainable development. H.E. met with H.E. Dr. Mohammed Ali Tamim, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning of the Republic of Iraq, and H.E. Darragh O'Brienthe Minister of Climate, Energy and the Environment and Minister of Transport in Ireland.
In a separate meeting, His Excellency held talks with H.E. Dr. Rola Dashti, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA). The two sides discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in data collection and the monitoring of SDG indicators across Arab countries.
Moreover, he met with H.E. Noemí Espinoza Madrid, Secretary-General of the Association of Caribbean States; Mr. Anar Gulieyv, Chairman of the State Committee on Urban Planning and Architecture of the Republic of Azerbaijan; and Dr. Markus Reubi, Delegate of the Swiss Federal Council for the 2030 Agenda.
It is worth noting that the State of Qatar had previously prepared three VNRs; the first in 2017, the second in 2018, and the third in 2021. VNRs highlight the progress made in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which comprises 17 goals, 169 targets and 248 indicators. They also showcase Qatar’s wide-ranging national efforts toward achieving comprehensive sustainable development and realizing Qatar National Vision 2030.
