emirates7 - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) unveiled the 2025 edition of the 2045 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Report at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, during the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development 2025, organised by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs.
The event took place at the UN headquarters, where Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange and Chair of the National Committee on SDGs, welcomed an array of high-level dignitaries. These included Savanna Maziya, Minister of Information and Communication Technology of Eswatini; Victor Verdon, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs 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 UN; Benjiran Herani Tajuddin, Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam to the UN; and Tsvai Yelma Sabo, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the UN. Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the UN, delivered the opening speech.
Prepared by the National Committee on SDGs, the report draws upon outcomes from the ministerial session at the World Government Summit (WGS) 2025, findings from the 2045 SDG roundtable held during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2025, and global feedback from the 2045 SDG Global Survey.
During the forum, the UAE delegation also shared insights from the UAE-led 2045 SDG Global Survey, which collected perspectives from individuals in 55 countries across various age brackets and academic fields.
Entitled "Envisioning 2045: Comprehensive Pathways towards Sustainable Development," the report highlights five strategic priorities: redefining the SDGs for 2045, future-proofing economies and societies, enhancing global leadership collaboration, accelerating the next phase of global development, and forming a unified global vision for future development.
The report advocates for a proactive, forward-thinking transformation from the current SDG framework to a future-oriented model capable of addressing upcoming global challenges. It recommends that governments incorporate foresight into policymaking, urges businesses to contribute through AI, circular economies, and responsible innovation, and encourages international organisations to apply past lessons to more inclusive and flexible development strategies.
It also stresses the importance of empowering individuals and communities—particularly women, youth, and vulnerable populations—to actively participate in shaping sustainable futures. Additionally, it references the SDGs in Action initiative launched at the WGS in Dubai in 2016 as a foundational step in promoting global collaboration and dialogue.
The timing of the report’s launch at the UN HLPF demonstrates the UAE’s strong commitment to accelerating progress on sustainable development, especially in line with the forum’s five focus areas this year: health (SDG3), gender equality (SDG5), economic growth (SDG8), life below water (SDG14), and partnerships (SDG17). These efforts are grounded in three main principles: innovation, partnership, and strategic foresight.
Lootah, in his capacity as Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange, described the report as a crucial step in shaping sustainable development over the next two decades. He highlighted its evidence-based approach and its practical roadmap for global cooperation and impact-driven development.
He stated that the report reflects the UAE’s commitment to anticipating future challenges, building strong international partnerships, and crafting innovative, data-driven solutions. He added that the UAE is actively working to build early global consensus on the SDG framework for 2045, drawing from the lessons of the 2030 agenda to a more equitable and sustainable world.
Lootah also noted that although official UN talks on post-2030 development goals will begin in 2027, the UAE has already engaged international thought leaders since 2023. Forums like SDGs in Action at the WGS have brought together over 170 global figures to contribute to this evolving vision.
This report marks a strategic step in shaping the future global development agenda and underscores the UAE’s role as a leader in promoting practical, forward-thinking initiatives for sustainable progress.
The findings of the 2045 SDG Global Survey, which involved respondents from 55 nations, revealed a broad desire for reimagining how progress is defined, pursued, and assessed beyond 2030.
According to the survey, 94.7% of participants favored expanding the definition of progress beyond traditional economic indicators. Meanwhile, 85.4% believed that involving people in policymaking enhances their engagement with the SDGs. About 70% supported a collaborative, cross-sector approach that moves beyond government-led efforts, while 67.8% endorsed adaptable goals tailored to regional priorities. Moreover, 64.9% of respondents saw AI and digital technologies as more impactful than conventional policies in achieving meaningful results.
The UN’s High-Level Political Forum serves as the primary global platform for assessing SDG progress. Established in 2012, it plays a critical role in reviewing both national and international advancement on the 2030 Agenda.
Each year, participating countries present progress reports on the SDGs. The 2025 forum spotlighted in-depth evaluations of five goals: ensuring health and well-being for all (SDG3), achieving gender equality (SDG5), promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth and employment (SDG8), conserving marine ecosystems (SDG14), and revitalizing global partnerships for sustainable development (SDG17).
The event took place at the UN headquarters, where Abdulla Nasser Lootah, Assistant Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Knowledge Exchange and Chair of the National Committee on SDGs, welcomed an array of high-level dignitaries. These included Savanna Maziya, Minister of Information and Communication Technology of Eswatini; Victor Verdon, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs 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 UN; Benjiran Herani Tajuddin, Permanent Representative of Brunei Darussalam to the UN; and Tsvai Yelma Sabo, Permanent Representative of Ethiopia to the UN. Ambassador Mohamed Abushahab, the UAE’s Permanent Representative to the UN, delivered the opening speech.
Prepared by the National Committee on SDGs, the report draws upon outcomes from the ministerial session at the World Government Summit (WGS) 2025, findings from the 2045 SDG roundtable held during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2025, and global feedback from the 2045 SDG Global Survey.
During the forum, the UAE delegation also shared insights from the UAE-led 2045 SDG Global Survey, which collected perspectives from individuals in 55 countries across various age brackets and academic fields.
Entitled "Envisioning 2045: Comprehensive Pathways towards Sustainable Development," the report highlights five strategic priorities: redefining the SDGs for 2045, future-proofing economies and societies, enhancing global leadership collaboration, accelerating the next phase of global development, and forming a unified global vision for future development.
The report advocates for a proactive, forward-thinking transformation from the current SDG framework to a future-oriented model capable of addressing upcoming global challenges. It recommends that governments incorporate foresight into policymaking, urges businesses to contribute through AI, circular economies, and responsible innovation, and encourages international organisations to apply past lessons to more inclusive and flexible development strategies.
It also stresses the importance of empowering individuals and communities—particularly women, youth, and vulnerable populations—to actively participate in shaping sustainable futures. Additionally, it references the SDGs in Action initiative launched at the WGS in Dubai in 2016 as a foundational step in promoting global collaboration and dialogue.
The timing of the report’s launch at the UN HLPF demonstrates the UAE’s strong commitment to accelerating progress on sustainable development, especially in line with the forum’s five focus areas this year: health (SDG3), gender equality (SDG5), economic growth (SDG8), life below water (SDG14), and partnerships (SDG17). These efforts are grounded in three main principles: innovation, partnership, and strategic foresight.
Lootah, in his capacity as Deputy Minister of Cabinet Affairs for Competitiveness and Experience Exchange, described the report as a crucial step in shaping sustainable development over the next two decades. He highlighted its evidence-based approach and its practical roadmap for global cooperation and impact-driven development.
He stated that the report reflects the UAE’s commitment to anticipating future challenges, building strong international partnerships, and crafting innovative, data-driven solutions. He added that the UAE is actively working to build early global consensus on the SDG framework for 2045, drawing from the lessons of the 2030 agenda to a more equitable and sustainable world.
Lootah also noted that although official UN talks on post-2030 development goals will begin in 2027, the UAE has already engaged international thought leaders since 2023. Forums like SDGs in Action at the WGS have brought together over 170 global figures to contribute to this evolving vision.
This report marks a strategic step in shaping the future global development agenda and underscores the UAE’s role as a leader in promoting practical, forward-thinking initiatives for sustainable progress.
The findings of the 2045 SDG Global Survey, which involved respondents from 55 nations, revealed a broad desire for reimagining how progress is defined, pursued, and assessed beyond 2030.
According to the survey, 94.7% of participants favored expanding the definition of progress beyond traditional economic indicators. Meanwhile, 85.4% believed that involving people in policymaking enhances their engagement with the SDGs. About 70% supported a collaborative, cross-sector approach that moves beyond government-led efforts, while 67.8% endorsed adaptable goals tailored to regional priorities. Moreover, 64.9% of respondents saw AI and digital technologies as more impactful than conventional policies in achieving meaningful results.
The UN’s High-Level Political Forum serves as the primary global platform for assessing SDG progress. Established in 2012, it plays a critical role in reviewing both national and international advancement on the 2030 Agenda.
Each year, participating countries present progress reports on the SDGs. The 2025 forum spotlighted in-depth evaluations of five goals: ensuring health and well-being for all (SDG3), achieving gender equality (SDG5), promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth and employment (SDG8), conserving marine ecosystems (SDG14), and revitalizing global partnerships for sustainable development (SDG17).