UAE Shapes Sustainable Development Future Through 2045 SDG Report, Global Survey

DUBAI, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News / WAM - 21st Jul, 2025) The UAE launched the 2025 edition of the 2045 SDG Report at the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York City, as part of the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development 2025, organised by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.

This took place at the headquarters of the United Nations, where Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange, Chair of the National Committee on SDGs welcomed the high-level attendees of the launch event, which included Savanna Maziya, Minister of Information and Communication Technology of the Kingdom of Eswatini, Victor Verdon, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Paraguay, Seema Sami Iskander Bahouth, Executive Director of UN Women, Eliot Minchenberg, Director of the UNESCO Office for Communication in New York and UNESCO Representative to the United Nations, Benjiran Herani Tajuddin, Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam to the United Nations, and Tsvai Yelma Sabo, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the United Nations, while the opening speech was delivered by Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, Permanent Representative of the UAE to the UN.

Created by the National Committee on SDGs 2025, the report builds on outcomes from the ministerial session held at the World Government Summit (WGS) 2025, in addition to recommendations from the high-level 2045 SDG roundtable held during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2025, and survey responses from the 2045 SDG Global Survey.

During the forum, the UAE delegation also presented findings from the UAE-led 2045 SDG Global Survey, which gathered insights from participants across 55 countries, spanning a wide range of age groups and academic disciplines.

Titled "Envisioning 2045: Comprehensive Pathways towards Sustainable Development," the report outlines five key priorities: redefining SDGs for 2045; proactively future-proofing economies and societies; enhancing global cooperation at the leadership level; accelerating the transition of global development to a new phase; and establishing a shared international commitment to the future development agenda.
The report positions the transition from current SDGs to a future-ready global framework as a necessary transformation that must be proactive, innovative, agile, and equipped to address emerging challenges.

It also urges governments to embed future foresight into policymaking, calls on the private sector to help shape sustainable development through AI, circular economies, and responsible innovation, and encourages international organisations to apply lessons learned from the current SDGs to build inclusive and adaptable frameworks.

The report emphasises the need to empower communities and individuals – especially women, youth, and vulnerable groups – to take an active role in contributing to the development agenda and shaping the future. It also highlights milestones from the SDGs in Action initiative, organised by WGS in Dubai in 2016, as a platform for advancing global dialogue and collaboration.

The report’s release at UN HLPF reflects the UAE's broader commitment to accelerating SDG progress, particularly in the five focus areas of this year's forum: SDG3, SDG5, SDG8, SDG14, and SDG17. These efforts are centred on three core pillars: innovation, partnerships, and strategic insight.

Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange and Chair of the National Secretariat on SDGs, described the report as a pivotal milestone in shaping the next twenty years of global sustainable development. He emphasised its foundation in practical pathways for international cooperation and its aim to define more comprehensive and impactful global goals.

Lootah said, "This report reflects the UAE's approach – anticipating challenges, strengthening global partnerships, and designing innovative solutions grounded in research, data, and evidence."
He added, "The UAE is committed to building early global consensus on the 2045 SDG framework, building on lessons learned from the 2030 goals to create a more sustainable and equitable future for all."
Lootah noted that while UN’s official discussions on post-2030 development goals will begin in 2027, the UAE has already engaged international thought leaders since 2023. Platforms such as the SDGs in Action Forum at WGS have so far convened over 170 global leaders to shape this vision.
The report stands as a strategic contribution to the future international development agenda, reflecting the UAE's role as a pioneer in advancing global sustainable development through evidence-based, practical initiatives that anticipate the future and serve humanity.
The UAE delegation also presented findings from the 2045 SDG Global Survey, which gathered insights from participants across 55 countries, spanning a wide range of age groups and academic disciplines. The results highlighted a strong global appetite for rethinking how progress is defined, implemented, and measured beyond 2030.

94.7% of respondents supported expanding the definition of progress to go beyond conventional economic growth indicators. Additionally, 85.4% stated that engaging people in decision-making and policymaking increases their level of engagement and participation in achieving SDGs.
The survey further indicated that 70% of participants backed a collaborative, cross-sector approach to sustainable development that is not limited to the government’s role. Another 67.8% supported the establishment of flexible development goals that can be adapted to regional contexts and priorities. Furthermore, 64.9% of respondents expressed the belief that AI and digitisation will surpass traditional policies in terms of impact and effectiveness in driving results.
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 revitalising the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development).