Deputy Prime Minister and caretaker Minister of Public Health, Ghassan Hasbani, delivered a speech at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (UNESCWA) during a political forum held in New York on the objectives of sustainable development for 2030. Hasbani presented the decisions of Arab High-Level Forum on Sustainable Development 2018 which was held in Beirut last April sponsored by Prime Minister Saad Hariri.
In cooperation with the Arab League and the United Nations Organizations, UNESCWA organized the Arab High-Level Forum on Sustainable Development 2018 entitled “Natural resources, future generations and the common good”.
Hasbani delivered messages from Arab High-Level Forum on Sustainable Development 2018, including some main principles: Reinforcing partnership between non-governmental sectors including the private sector, solving the structural barriers that hinder development efforts in the Arab World, affirming the role of technological research to achieve sustainable development and providing reports to evaluate the situation and monitor the progress.
The deputy PM stressed the importance of placing developmental plans based on clear and global vision that takes into account coherence between the issues, working on raising awareness, harmonizing concepts, enhancing institutional capacity, boosting communication and cooperation between the sectors and strengthening the role of local authorities.
Concerning natural resources and future generations, Hasbani emphasized on equity and justice while using, managing and distributing natural resources. He added that the change aspired from the 2030’s plan requires cultural modification in handling natural resources through individual and collective practice that bears in mind the future generations.
He added that the participants in Beirut’s forum affirmed that the sustainable administration of natural resources, water and energy, call for discussion and coordination on regional level and for respect for people’s right in controlling their own resources. Hasbani then said that the forum saw that in order to make change in the Arab World, it needs a restitution in the structure of economics and social politics, an integration of the environmental dimensions, a drastic reformation in labor market, a recognition of the role of syndicates and social dialogue. The forum also affirmed the importance of adopting a new method for sustainable development based on economic diversity, solving consumption methods, enhancing sustainable production, reforming economic politics, establishing development politics for digital economy, reinforcing innovation and reforming educational systems as a condition to engage the Arab World in the ongoing Industrial Revolution.
The deputy prime minister said that the participants called upon rethinking the mechanism of putting the general budgets, enhancing transparency, liability and serious research to find sustainable financing resources through regional cooperation and through activating the role of the private sector as a partner in the development, as well as facilitating money transfer from immigrants and encouraging their investment in the development. The forum affirmed the role of the civil society in executing, following up and reviewing the 2030’s plan.
Concerning the equity between sexes in national development plans, Hasbani stressed that the participants focused on the importance of involving women effectively in development planning and decision making.
“After 3 days of discussions, the forum stressed the importance of translating these messages into concrete measures through programs and activities executed by UNESCWA in coordination with the United Nations Organizations and the Arab League until the date of the Arab forum in 2019,” he concluded.