Dear guests,

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you

It is my pleasure to welcome you all to the University of Bahrain, an edifice of science and knowledge, and the habitat of the scientific and intellectual movement. I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to you all for responding and attending this consultation workshop, which comes as part of a series of national consultations in which the Government of the Kingdom of Bahrain seeks to involve all active community actors, in the context of efforts to prepare the Kingdom of Bahrain’s first national voluntary report to implement the goals of sustainable development, which will be presented and discussed during the Ministerial meeting of the United Nations Economic and Social Council’s High-level Political Forum held next July in New York.

We are proud today for the participation of representatives of academic and university bodies and those interested in the sustainable development of the Kingdom, in addition to the kind attendance of members of the legislative branch, which stems out of a genuine and dynamic partnership to support the development process, and enhance the leadership of the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Dear guests,

This meeting is the third in a series of consultation workshops, coming after previous similar meetings with concerned civil society organizations and the private sector, where various points of views and valuable and constructive recommendations were put forward, which will be the point of attention. Today we resume these consultations with you, which I hope would be rich and fruitful in order to be included in the first voluntary report. You are the pioneers of thought who knew the sanctity and position of science. If science is the measure of progress, then community action is a key step towards achieving this progress by benefiting from the various visions, assessments and recommendations, especially when it comes to managing sustainable development that targets the citizen as the goal of every move.

Needless to explain the positive and pivotal role played by scientific research in the process of development. In this context, His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, paid great attention to this sector, as it is the foundation of development and the future. Which goes in line with the Bahrain Economic Vision 2030 that aims to promote optimal investment in the human element, and to provide an appropriate and stimulating environment for growth and innovation, based on the principles of sustainability, competitiveness and equity. Thus, the report is seen as an opportunity to highlight the achievements of the Kingdom of Bahrain in the field of sustainable development, in conjunction with the tenth anniversary of the launch of the Economic Vision 2030 in 2008.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

On September 25, 2015, an extraordinary UN Summit adopted the goals of Sustainable Development 2030. On 1 January 2016, these goals were formally launched under the title (Transforming Our World: Sustainable Development Plan 2030).

It is a source of pride that the Kingdom of Bahrain has already begun to achieve the goals of sustainable development goals 2030 before they were issued. In addition, the Millennium Development Goals were successfully completed before 2015. The Kingdom is classified in the category of (highly developed countries in human development) after it has come a long way in achieving the desired development goals.

Not only did the Kingdom of Bahrain stop there, it had also made significant contributions towards the formulation of the Sustainable Development Goals 2030 through active participation in consultation processes that preceded the adoption of the goals. A fruitful cooperation exists with the United Nations, where the Kingdom is one of the most committed countries towards the noble goals for which the international organization was founded, and has been able to represent a leading international reform, development and humanitarian model.

We are pleased that this cooperation has produced important initiatives including: The Strategic Partnership Framework for the 2018-2022. The announcement of (The King Hamad Youth Empowerment Award to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals) in collaboration with the United Nations, was an important and noble step towards the world’s youth, and in appreciating their active role in their communities. On a similar note, The World Youth Forum, held in April 2017, was dedicated to researching the achievement of sustainable development goals, and the second International Entrepreneurs Investment Forum 2017, while the Kingdom of Bahrain is moving confidently as a center for entrepreneurship, technology and logistics services, in addition to its leading position as a financial center, and it preparation to host the Global Entrepreneurship Forum next year.

Dear guests,

We have been pleased at the of the Bahrain Center for Strategic, International and Energy Studies “Derasat” to commission the National Information Committee under the chairmanship of His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al-Mutawa, the Minister of Cabinet Affairs, to organize and manage this workshop for several reasons, the most important are: the workshop is considered an advanced platform for constructive ideas and valuable recommendations, especially since communication with the elites of intellectuals and academics is considered a fertile ground for producing new visions, which will be beneficial in the preparation of the report, as well as the realization of the concept of community partnership adopted by the center in light of its new mission stemming from role and responsibility, through the offering of joint capacity-building initiatives, based on integrated studies and researches and quality consulting, contributing to the efforts to improve performance in accordance with the highest standards of efficiency and quality, and promoting the building of a dynamic and sustainable economy that enjoys leadership and competitiveness.

In conclusion, I would like to reiterate my gratitude to His Excellency Mr. Mohammed bin Ibrahim Al-Mutawa, Minister of Cabinet Affairs and Chairman of the National Information Committee, the Office of the First Deputy Prime Minister, the Ministries of Cabinet Affairs and Foreign Affairs, and the Information and e-Government Authority for their outstanding and continuous efforts, looking forward with great interest to the ideas and recommendations presented, wishing us success and good luck. God bless us.

May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon you..