UAE's GEEP hosts global retreat to advance government collaboration at UN SDG forum - Middle East Business News and Information
Dubai, New York, United Nations,July 2025: The Government Experience Exchange Programme GEEP, under the UAE Ministry of Cabinet Affairs, convened its first international retreat as part of the 2025 UN High-Level Political Forum HLPF on Sustainable Development, organised by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) at its headquarters in New York City.
The first-of-its kind gathering reinforced the UAE's commitment to international partnerships, bringing together global stakeholders to expand strategic collaboration and share government best practices that drive progress on the 2030 Agenda.
Held at the Permanent Mission of the United Arab Emirates to United Nations, the session showcased the UAE's advanced model in government knowledge sharing and its effectiveness in promoting institutional excellence globally.
It brought together senior representatives from governments, international organisations, and research institutions to explore multilateral and shared experiences that support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Participants exchanged ideas on expanding partnerships across sectors to achieve measurable development outcomes, aligned with this year's HLPF theme: 'Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs.'
The session reflected the UAE's ongoing commitment to fostering government modernisation and using knowledge exchange to build more effective, sustainable, and resilient institutions.
Abdulla Lootah: UAE Strengthens Global Partnerships for a Sustainable Future
His Excellency Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange and Chair of the National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, emphasised the UAE's expanding international partnerships to accelerate SDG implementation worldwide. He noted that GEEP represents one of the nation's key platforms for sharing best practices, driven by proactivity, innovation, and future-readiness.
H.E Lootah highlighted that GEEP includes more than 100 work streams across key areas, including government excellence, services, accelerators, public policies, and competitiveness. He affirmed that hosting this inaugural international session reinforces the UAE's role in enabling international collaboration and directing knowledge exchange toward real impact on the 2030 UN Agenda, building a more sustainable future for all.
Global Partnerships for Sustainable Development:
The session facilitated robust dialogue between government representatives, international organisations, the private sector, and civil society, reinforcing collaboration to accelerate the implementation of 2030 SDGs and deliver tangible contributions to the outcomes of the 2025 HLPF.
Three roundtable discussions were conducted centred on: Global Partnerships SDG17, Safety and Security SDG16, and Sustainable Environment SDG14. Topics included the role of knowledge exchange in accelerating sustainable development, the importance of international cooperation for crisis resilience, and approaches to environmental protection and green transition.
The UAE delegation included leading experts, including Lt. Col.Dr. Ahmed Al Zarouni, Director of International Police from the Ministry of Interior, and Her Excellency Dr. Shaikha Salem Al Dhaheri, Secretary General from the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi.
UN High-Level Political Forum:
The HLPF on Sustainable Development is the UN's central platform for reviewing and advancing SDGs. Established in 2012, the forum plays a pivotal role in monitoring national and international progress on the 2030 Agenda.
Participating delegations at HLPF conduct assessments of progress toward the SDGs, with this year's forum featuring in-depth reviews of five priority goals: SDG3 ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages; SDG5 (achieving equality and empowering all women and girls; SDG8 promoting sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all; SDG14 conserving and sustainably using the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development); and SDG17 strengthening and revitalizing the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Egypt Independent
an hour ago
- Egypt Independent
Israeli settler kills Palestinian activist who worked on Oscar-winning film
Odeh Hathalin, who was a consultant on 'No Other Land,' a film that documents Israeli settler and military attacks on the West Bank community of Masafer Yatta, was shot in the village of Umm al-Khair, in that same community. Israeli police said its forces arrived at the scene and detained an Israeli civilian, who was later arrested for questioning. Police did not identify the man they arrested. The Israeli military claimed that 'terrorists hurled rocks toward Israeli civilians near Carmel,' an Israeli settlement near Umm al-Khair. Hathalin's shooting was first reported by Yuval Abraham, the Israeli investigative journalist who co-directed 'No Other Land.' Abraham said Hathalin was 'shot in the upper body' and was in critical condition. Later, the Palestinian health ministry said he had died of his injuries. Many settlers are armed, and violence in the West Bank has surged since the Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023. At least 964 Palestinians have been killed since then by Israeli forces and settlers in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, according to the United Nations. Settlers have a strong influence on Israeli politics, and in the rare cases where they are arrested for violent attacks against Palestinians, they are often released without charge. Jewish settlements in the Israeli-occupied West Bank are illegal under international law. Ofer Cassif, a left-wing member of Israel's parliament, has demanded that authorities launch an investigation into Hathalin's death. 'The incident occurred in broad daylight, in front of cameras, with no fear of legal consequences – testament to the paralysis of law enforcement and the complete sense of immunity enjoyed by violent settlers,' Cassif wrote in a letter to Israel's Attorney General. Basel Adra, a Palestinian journalist and a co-director of 'No Other Land,' shared testimony to his 'dear friend' Hathalin. 'He was standing in front of the community settler in his village when a settler fired a bullet that pierced his chest and took his life. This is how Israel erases us – one life at a time,' Adra wrote in a post on Instagram. Last month, Hathalin was detained at San Francisco International Airport upon arrival and deported after immigration officials revoked his visa, local media reported. He had been invited to visit a California synagogue as part of an interfaith speaking tour. CNN reported in March that settlers had also targeted Hamdan Ballal, another co-director of 'No Other Land,' outside his home in the village of Susya, also in Masser Yatta. Ballal, who had recently returned from Los Angeles to accept an Oscar for the film, told CNN he thought the group of settlers would kill him. He was detained by Israeli soldiers, handcuffed, blindfolded and beaten. The film 'No Other Land,' which tracked the destruction of the Masser Yatta community between 2019 and 2023, won Best Documentary Feature Film at the 2024 Oscars. Its final scene shows Adra's cousin, Zakara al-Adra, being shot by an Israeli settler in October 2023.
Al-Ahram Weekly
an hour ago
- Al-Ahram Weekly
First group of Syrian refugees returns home from Lebanon under new UN plan - Region
The first group of Syrian refugees returned home from Lebanon on Tuesday under a new plan the United Nations developed with the Lebanese government following the downfall of Bashar Assad's rule in December. Syria's uprising-turned-conflict displaced half of the country's pre-war population of 23 million over the last 14 years. Lebanon hosted an estimated 1.5 million refugees, at one point making up roughly a quarter of its six million people, with many having been smuggled across the border and unregistered with the UN. The new plan has the UN refugee agency offering $100 in cash to each repatriated Syrian refugee and the Lebanese authorities waiving any fees or fines they owe. The UNHCR and the International Organisation for Migration will provide them with buses for their return journey. The UNHCR also says it will help returning Syrians with "cash grants, legal assistance for civil documents, psychosocial support, livelihood opportunities, and other protection services.' The strain on Lebanon as poverty spreads Lebanese authorities have repeatedly requested the repatriation of Syrian refugees over the years, a call that grew louder with the widespread poverty in the Mediterranean country and shrinking funding for aid agencies. But Syria under Assad was not yet safe for their return, according to major rights organizations. Many Syrians had also previously said the war, forced conscription under Syria's former government, and unpaid residency fines in Lebanon have held them back from returning. But Syria now has a new government under President Ahmed al-Sharaa, who led the surprise offensive that ousted Assad, and the Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government hopes Syrians will sign up for the joint repatriation plan. The UNHCR estimates that over 205,000 Syrians have crossed back into the country from Lebanon since December, of which at least 126,000 were confirmed to be full returns, said Abou Khaled. Thousands of Syrian refugees ready to return home UNHCR Lebanon spokesperson Lisa Abou Khaled says about 17,000 Syrian refugees in Lebanon have already signed up to go back to their home country, though the vast majority have opted not to take the buses. Tuesday's repatriation was a 'test run,' she said, with only 72 people, mostly going to Syria's third-largest city of Homs and rural Damascus. Syrian border authorities greeted the returning refugees with roses and water bottles, as they filled out forms after exiting the bus. Some took pictures in front of Syria's new green flag. Among them was Rasha, who told The Associated Press she was elated to return for the first time in 14 years. 'We're going home with nothing, but it's easier than having to keep paying rent,' she said, using only her first name. She and her husband are heading to Homs. Before, she wouldn't leave because her sons were at the age of conscription, which she described as 'sending your son to his death." They also couldn't afford to pay all the fines for overstaying in Lebanon for 14 years. Raghad fled to Lebanon when she was 10 years old after her father was killed in Homs, and is returning for the first time to her family home with her siblings and their children. 'We're hoping to fix it so we can live there for a bit," she said. 'I can't imagine myself living there without Dad." A humanitarian crisis still exists in Syria Despite Washington lifting decades-long sanctions, Syria is still reeling from an economic crisis that has pulled the vast majority of its population into poverty. It's still also trying to rebuild hundreds of billions of dollars in battered infrastructure after the conflict. Abou Khaled, the UNHCR Lebanon spokesperson, warns that this might hinder long-term returns if not resolved soon. 'We must acknowledge that there is a real humanitarian crisis in Syria that remains very significant,' she explained. 'Millions of people will need urgent help to be able to return in a sustainable way.' Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
See - Sada Elbalad
2 hours ago
- See - Sada Elbalad
UN Conference Reaffirms Global Commitment to Two-State Solution Amid Escalating Gaza Crisis
Ahmed Emam A high-level United Nations conference on the peaceful settlement of the Question of Palestine is set to conclude on Wednesday, July 30, with strong international backing for the two-state solution. Global leaders have called for urgent action to end the Israeli occupation and establish a sovereign Palestinian state living in peace and security alongside Israel. Organized by the United Nations and co-chaired by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the French Republic, the conference aimed to reaffirm the international community's commitment to the two-state solution and to coordinate practical steps for its implementation.** Opening statements were delivered by UN Secretary-General António Guterres, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot, and Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa. Three high-level roundtable discussions took place during the event, including a key session on the humanitarian situation and reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip, where the humanitarian crisis continues to worsen. In a compelling address, President of the UN General Assembly Philemon Yang warned that the cycle of violence between Israelis and Palestinians cannot continue unchecked. 'The atrocities in Gaza and the endless violence make it clear: we cannot carry on like this,' he said. 'This conference must mark a decisive turning point. If we do not resolve this conflict through a two-state solution, peace and stability will remain out of reach—not just for Palestine, but for the wider Middle East.' Yang added, 'We can no longer tolerate delays or excuses. The time to act is now. This conference must set an irreversible course toward realizing the two-state solution.' In the lead-up to the conference, Ambassador Maged Abdel Fattah, Permanent Observer of the Arab League to the UN, emphasized the Arab League's firm opposition to the forced displacement of Palestinians. Speaking to Al-Qahera News, he condemned what he described as Israel's deliberate targeting of UN organizations in Gaza and called for a voluntary international arms embargo on Israel. He also noted that Israel is currently withholding $3 billion in Palestinian tax revenues and highlighted what he described as a significant shift in European public and political sentiment in favor of the Palestinian cause. The conference concluded with a unified call for practical steps to implement the two-state solution and to halt the worsening humanitarian catastrophe. Delegates stressed the urgency of political commitment, coordination, and accountability to achieve a just and lasting peace in the region. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News Israeli-Linked Hadassah Clinic in Moscow Treats Wounded Iranian IRGC Fighters Arts & Culture "Jurassic World Rebirth" Gets Streaming Date News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier News Ayat Khaddoura's Final Video Captures Bombardment of Beit Lahia Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Egyptian Pound Undervalued by 30%, Says Goldman Sachs Arts & Culture South Korean Actress Kang Seo-ha Dies at 31 after Cancer Battle Sports Get to Know 2025 WWE Evolution Results Arts & Culture Lebanese Media: Fayrouz Collapses after Death of Ziad Rahbani
