Qatar reaffirmed its commitment to advancing the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development during the fourth high-level meeting on the Global Development Initiative (GDI), held on the sidelines of the 81st UN General Assembly session in New York on September 26. The event brought together international representatives to discuss strategies for accelerating sustainable development amid increasing global challenges.
Qatar’s Minister of State for International Co-operation, Dr. Maryam bint Ali bin Nasser al-Misnad, represented the country at the meeting. In her remarks, Dr. al-Misnad emphasized the broad array of obstacles confronting developing countries, including financing and debt crises, food insecurity, climate change, the digital divide, and energy insecurity. She stressed that sustainable development is not only an economic objective but also a critical underpinning for peace, stability, and prosperity worldwide.
Highlighting Qatar’s engagement with the GDI, Dr. al-Misnad noted that the initiative aims to place development at the core of multilateral action, promoting a people-centered approach that supports innovation and the transformation of commitments into measurable outcomes. She called for intensified international cooperation, particularly in the areas of technology transfer, scientific research, and digital capacity-building, to ensure that advancements in artificial intelligence and other digital technologies benefit all countries equitably. Without such collaboration, she warned, technological progress risks deepening existing inequalities.
Qatar’s efforts to drive sustainable development are aligned with its National Vision 2030, which seeks comprehensive progress across economic, social, and environmental dimensions. Dr. al-Misnad underlined the country’s ongoing partnerships with UN agencies and international financial institutions aimed at combating poverty, enhancing education access, securing energy provision, improving food security and healthcare systems, and strengthening resilience against humanitarian crises.
Additionally, Qatar plays a prominent role in implementing the Doha Programme of Action for the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) for the period 2022-2031. Through targeted projects, Doha is assisting LDCs in building resilience and addressing critical issues such as food security. Qatar is also preparing to host the High-Level Meeting on the Midterm Review of the Doha Programme from March 25 to 27 next year. The meeting will evaluate progress, reaffirm commitment, foster resource mobilization, and facilitate experience-sharing to promote sustainable graduation from the LDC category.
Concluding her address, Dr. al-Misnad reiterated Qatar’s dedication to working collaboratively with all UN member states to strengthen global solidarity and resource mobilization, aiming to tackle interconnected challenges and contribute to a fairer, more inclusive, and sustainable international development agenda.