The U.A.E. continues with its concerted action to overcome the urgent global challenges of food security, climate change, water insecurity and infrastructure development, following its commitment to achieving the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, remarked Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister for International Cooperation and Development.
Delivering a lecture entitled "Towards Sustainability: The Role Of The U.A.E. As A Key Player In Global Human Development", Sheikha Lubna added that the U.A.E.'s initiatives are the outcome of the vision and commitment of the leadership to widen the country's contribution to sustainable development goals. Sustainable development goals are expected to be adopted as the next stage of action for the eight MGDs by the United Nation's member states at a summit in September 2015.
The lecture was organised under the Distinguished Lecture Series at the Masdar Institute campus. Sheikha Lubna was earlier received by Dr. Fred Moavenzadeh, President, Masdar Institute, who introduced her to the audience. A number of government, non-government and private sector stakeholders including Dr. Sultan Al Jaber, U.A.E. Minister of State, Chief Executive Officer of Energy at Mubadala and Chairman of Masdar, Philip Parham, British Ambassador to the U.A.E. and official representatives from United Nations in the U.A.E. were present. Students, faculty and staff members from Masdar Institute and other universities also attended the lecture.
During her talk Sheikha Lubna pointed out that the U.A.E. remains committed to helping partner countries achieve their MDGs through the delivery of foreign aid in the form humanitarian and development assistance. The country also prioritises ‘developing global partnerships for development' and ‘eradication of poverty and hunger', while seeking to achieve the MDGs locally.
She emphasised that the programmes and projects initiated by the U.A.E. leadership in poor countries will contribute to improved food supply, greater environmental sustainability and biodiversity conservation, as well as better water management, child vaccination campaigns and meaningful support for global polio eradication efforts.
Sheikha Lubna added, "As part of its contribution towards achieving sustainable development goals, the U.A.E. specifically will endeavour to address the causes of poverty including conflict, fragile statehood, social exclusion, economic under-performance, under-mobilisation of national resources in poor countries, inadequate governance and under-investment in education and health." According to the UN 2013 MDG report, there are new and emerging global challenges. Annual earth depletion has jumped from 60% in 1990 to an alarming 150% in 2010, while the bottom billion of the world's population is severely impacted by widespread deprivation despite progress towards MDGs. The challenge is growing manifold since the earth's population is forecast to reach eight to 10 billion by 2050, the report adds.
The Masdar Institute Distinguished Lecture Series frequently hosts corporate leaders, renowned professionals and academicians for knowledge sharing and interactive sessions as part of its human capital development efforts.
Source: WAM