New york city: 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.
According to Emirates News Agency, 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. Attendees included Savanna Maziya, Minister of Information and Communication Technology of the Kingdom of Eswatini, and several other distinguished representatives from various countries and international organizations. 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, along with recommendations from the high-level 2045 SDG roundtable during Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2025. It also incorporates survey responses from the 2045 SDG Global Survey.
During the forum, the UAE delegation 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. The report titled "Envisioning 2045: Comprehensive Pathways towards Sustainable Development," outlines five key priorities, including redefining SDGs for 2045 and enhancing global cooperation at the leadership level.
The report positions the transition from current SDGs to a future-ready global framework as a necessary transformation. It urges governments to embed future foresight into policymaking and encourages the private sector to help shape sustainable development through AI and responsible innovation.
The report emphasizes empowering communities and individuals to take an active role in the development agenda. It highlights milestones from the SDGs in Action initiative, organized by WGS in Dubai in 2016, as a platform for advancing global dialogue and collaboration.
The release of the report at UN HLPF reflects the UAE's commitment to accelerating SDG progress, focusing on five key areas: SDG3, SDG5, SDG8, SDG14, and SDG17. These efforts center on innovation, partnerships, and strategic insight.
Abdulla Nasser Lootah described the report as pivotal in shaping global sustainable development. He emphasized its foundation in practical pathways for international cooperation and its aim to define more comprehensive and impactful global goals. 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.
The UAE delegation also presented findings from the 2045 SDG Global Survey, which indicated strong global support for rethinking progress beyond conventional economic growth. The survey showed that 94.7% of respondents supported expanding the definition of progress, and 85.4% believed that engaging people in decision-making increases participation in achieving SDGs.
The HLPF on Sustainable Development is the UN's central platform for reviewing SDGs, established in 2012. This year's forum featured reviews of five priority goals, including ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being (SDG3), achieving equality and empowering women and girls (SDG5), and strengthening the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development (SDG17).