The State of Qatar emphasized that comprehensive and sustainable development is an important priority and that Qatar National Vision 2030 has set the country's main economic, social, human and environmental goals.

The State of Qatar also stressed that, as part of its efforts to build an efficient and effective system for monitoring the implementation of the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, it harmonized the objectives of this plan to be aligned with the objectives of the second national development strategy 2018-2022, and it has developed a monitoring and follow-up system.

This came in a statement by the delegation of the State of Qatar, delivered by third secretary of the Permanent Delegation of the State of Qatar to the United Nations Ahmed bin Saif Al Kuwari, before the general debate in the Economic and Financial Committee of the 73rd session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Al Kuwari said that, as part of its efforts to meet its commitment to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Qatar presented this year the voluntary national review during the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development, which gave a transparent picture of the progress made by the State of Qatar in implementing the discussed sustainable development objectives, including ensuring universal access to reliable and sustainable modern energy services at affordable cost, ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns, and revitalizing the global partnership for sustainable development.

Al Kuwari added that in line with the constants and commitments of the State of Qatar to meet the challenges of financing for development in a spirit of global partnership and solidarity, Qatar hosted in November 2017, in cooperation with the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, a high-level meeting to prepare for the Economic and Social Council Forum on Financing for Development this year. This meeting resulted in the 10 "Doha Messages", which aim to strengthen cooperation for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

He pointed out that the State of Qatar is among the first countries in the field of development assistance and relief. At the international level, the value of development assistance and aid provided by the State of Qatar, both government and non-government, increased from about $483 million in 2008 to more than $2 billion in 2017.

Al Kuwari added that while the State of Qatar continues to support the efforts of the United Nations to create an international economic environment conducive to development and to invest scientific progress in the field of technology in order to advance development, the State of Qatar continues to face pressure to abandon its policy of partnership and cooperation with the international community, where Qatar is subjected to unilateral measures aimed at achieving political objectives that violate the principles of international law and international relations and are incompatible with the basic principles of the multilateral international system, in addition to the negative effects of those pressures on international economic cooperation.

He stressed that despite the impact of these unilateral measures on economic, social and humanitarian issues, the State of Qatar has sought to avoid its effects, continued to implement vital strategic projects, and continued to strengthen its partnership at the international level with friendly countries.

He pointed out that one of the reports of the Secretary-General of the United Nations under the Committee's work described the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Paris Agreement on Climate Change and Addis Ababa Action Agenda of the third International Conference on Financing for Development in its call for the revitalization of the global multi-stakeholder partnership for mankind, planet and prosperity, as historical and unprecedented agreements in scope and importance.

He pointed out that in light of the economic, environmental, humanitarian and social challenges facing the world today, including but not limited to extreme poverty, resource scarcity, unemployment, climate change, forced displacement and violent extremism, international cooperation is the best way to meet the requirements of these historic agreements, and the sincere desire of the international community to take comprehensive action leading to transformation, taking into account the different circumstances, capacities, needs and levels of development and respect for national policies and priorities.

He pointed out that sustainable development cannot be achieved without the establishment of peaceful and non-marginalized societies, as affirmed by the sixteenth goal of sustainable development, the State of Qatar has played a leading role in establishing the global alliance to report on progress in promoting societies that enjoy inclusive peace and justice.

Al Kuwari said that the unsustainable use of natural resources, climate change, food insecurity, malnutrition, political instability and conflict require a more inclusive and coordinated response from the international community, special attention to the least developed and conflict countries, and ensuring opportunities for all groups of society, especially women, children and people with special needs, stressing the importance of equitable and inclusive education for all, which is an important enabling factor for sustainable development, given its pivotal role in building a better and more sustainable future.

He added that international trade played an important role and constituted a powerful enabling tool for economic development, the stimulation of economic growth, the creation of an enabling economic environment and the establishment of an open, inclusive, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system as an integral part of that environment, stressing the importance of the conclusions contained in the report of the Secretary-General on international trade and development, and specifically on the importance of international trade, which meant achieving sustained growth and ensuring consistency with sustainable development.

Al Kuwari concluded that Qatar will remain an active partner in achieving our common endeavor towards sustainable development for the benefit of all mankind, and Qatar will continue to play a significant role inspired by Qatar National Vision 2030 in international development cooperation.