Challenges of Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals SDGs
25th & 26th of June, 2024 I UN Geneva Palais des Nations – Bldg E40 – Room XXIII
BACKGROUND
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) constitute a comprehensive plan to enhance global living conditions, representing a compelling call to action embedded within the 2030 Agenda. This framework, set by the United Nations and officially launched during the UN General Assembly on September 25, 2015, delineates a 15-year strategic plan. Its overarching aims to en¬compass eradicating poverty and inequality, safeguarding the planet, and ensuring global access to health services, justice, and prosperity, with a commitment to leaving no one behind.
Crucially, sustainable development hinges on the harmonization of three fundamental elements: economic growth, social in¬clusion, and environmental protection. Recognizing that the achievement of SDGs could unlock market opportunities totaling 12 trillion USD and generate 380 million new jobs by 2030, underscores the immense potential for positive global transformation. At the same time, between US$ 3.3-4.5 trillion per year is needed to be mobilized to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
While there has been commendable progress, the current pace is insufficient to meet the ambitious goals within the remaining years. The urgency of the situation necessitates immediate and concerted action from all stakeholders. Notably, the last two decades have witnessed a growing trend of integrating sustainability into banking practices, giving rise to sustainable finance as an efficacious institutional mechanism for financing SDGs. This approach seeks to deliver positive social and environmental outcomes while concurrently pursuing financially rewarding returns.
In the Arab region, the importance of the banking sector’s participation in financing development is highlighted, with the real¬ization that it manages assets estimated at four and a half trillion dollars, and financing worth three trillion dollars. Nonetheless, the financing gap to achieve the sustainable development goals in the Arab region was estimated before the Covid-19 pan¬demic crisis of more than $100 billion annually.
25
Speakers
2
Days
80
Attendance
THEMATIC SESSIONS
- Advancements in SDGs within the Arab Region: Reflection towards 2030:
- Assessing the strides made in attaining Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within the Arab region, critically eval¬uating the progress achieved as we approach the halfway mark to the 2030 target date.
- Overcoming Implementation Barriers in Arab Countries: Reforms for Accelerated Progress:
- Exploring the challenging hurdles impeding the effective implementation of SDGs in the Arab region, and outlining the requisite reforms essential to expedite progress towards sustainable development goals.
- The Vital Role of the Financial Sector in SDG Achievement across the Arab Region:
- Analyzing the pivotal role played by the financial sector in realizing SDGs within the Arab region, emphasizing the strate¬gic significance of financial institutions in fostering sustainable development.
- Empowering the Arab Economies: The Contribution of Banks towards SDGs:
- Exploring the proactive role Arab banks can play in supporting national economies to attain SDGs, aligning their initiatives with the overarching strategies and action plans of respective countries for comprehensive and effective sustainable development.
OBJECTIVES
1- Highlight the Progress in the Arab Region’s Pursuit of the 2030 Agenda for SDGs:
- Shed light on the advancements made by the Arab region in alignment with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), providing a comprehensive overview of the achieved milestones and areas that require further attention.
2- Examine Influential Factors Affecting SDGs Attainment:
- Investigate the multifaceted factors that either hinder or facilitate the realization of SDGs within the Arab region, fostering an in-depth understanding of the challenges and opportunities in the pursuit of sustainable development goals.
3- Deliberate on the Roles of Banking and Financial Sectors in SDGs Enhancement:
- Engage in a thorough discussion regarding the potential roles played by the banking and financial sectors in bolstering the implementation of SDGs, exploring innovative strategies and collaborative initiatives that can positively impact sustainable development.
4- Identify Essential Policies and Reforms to Boost SDGs Implementation:
- Systematically identify and analyze the needed policies and essential reforms for advancing the SDGs Agenda within the Arab region, aiming to provide actionable insights that can contribute to a more effective and targeted approach to sustainable development.
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