Doha: The State of Qatar is steadily moving to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda after laying out an integrated development approach based on the Qatar National Vision 2030 (QNV 2030).
Having been launched in 2008, the agenda represents a holistic strategic framework that balances the human, social, economic, and environmental dimensions to ensure the achievement of balanced development that meets current needs and concurrently maintains the rights of the next generations.
HH the Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani's participation in the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meetings represents a profound embodiment of the State of Qatar's leading role on the global stage, along with its unflagging commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the domestic stage in a multilateral collaboration to address global challenges, in terms of climate change, eradication of poverty, and enhancement of education, peace, and justice.
HH the Amir has made this commitment crystal clear in his speech before the UNGA in 2019, where he underlined the State of Qatar's commitment to achieving the SDGs, in alignment with the national priorities within the QNV 2030, as the latter is a reference for sustainable development, social progress, and economic diversity.
Buoyed by this vision, Qatar has been committed to consolidating the sustainability principles at the very core of its development policies and initiatives, within a carefully learned approach that includes economic diversification, fostering investment in education and healthcare, as well as crafting effective social inclusion and environmental protection programs.
Over 60 national sectoral strategies have been harmonized with the 17 SDGs as part of QNV 2030 and the Third National Development Strategy 2024-2030. This has largely contributed to including the 2030 goals in the government planning system.
During his participation in the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development at the United Nations Headquarters in New York in July 2024, HE Secretary-General of the National Planning Council, Dr. Abdulaziz bin Nasser bin Mubarak Al Khalifa, stated that the State of Qatar had succeeded in laying the groundwork for innovation and inclusivity, and envisioning the future, strategically investing in education, healthcare, workforce development, and the green economy.
The breakthrough Qatar made in executing the SDGs 2030 has been abundantly clear in the 2025 Voluntary National Review, which documents the accomplishments made in all 17 SDGs without exception.
With respect to Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere, the review in question confirmed Qatar's success in ending poverty almost entirely within its boundaries and maintaining its standing among the world's highest-income countries per capita, owing to a comprehensive framework of prudent social policies and extensive safety nets.
In the Human Development Pillar of QNV 2030: Investing in education and health for all, Qatar has given education a foremost priority as the bedrock of the path toward human development and transition to a knowledge-based economy, in commensurate with Goal 4 of SDGs: "Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all".
Spending on education in Qatar has been among the highest rates globally, as this commitment has culminated in eradicating illiteracy and achieving full gender equality in education that aligns with Goal 5. Strikingly, Qatar ranked first globally in terms of gender parity in primary and tertiary education, according to the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2024.
In connection with Goal 3: "Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages", Qatar has witnessed an incredible breakthrough in accessibility to healthcare and its quality, constituting one of the progress pillars in the human development field, with the upsurge in the number of hospitals, thereby contributing to elevating capacity and providing world-class medical care.
As for the second pillar of Social Development: "Enhancing inclusion, equity, and cultural advancement", the nation has laid an integrated system for social protection targeting the most vulnerable groups through a direct support program, along with housing and service subsidies, as well as the implementation of a minimum wage.
Accordingly, Qatar has delivered on its commitments toward Goal 10 of the SDGs: "Reduce inequality within and among countries,” in commensurate with the social development pillar of QNV 2030, bolstering women's engagement in the labor market, as the rates of Qatari women's engagement in the workforce have steadily grown, reaching roughly 63%, demonstrating the effectiveness of policies promoting gender equality at work.
The State of Qatar has proceeded with its endeavors to empower youth and societal engagement, backing cultural, voluntary, and sporting initiatives that bolster a tight-knit society and a shared sense of progression and belonging, in addition to empowering women, young people, and the rest of the community members.
Regarding the third pillar of Economic Development: "Diversification, Innovation, and Sustainable Growth", Qatar has made a remarkable breakthrough in making economic diversification a core pillar in its sustainable development strategy, in the quest for reducing dependency on hydrocarbon resources and building a knowledge-based economy. Hence, concrete milestones have been achieved in this respect, culminating in expanding non-oil sectors' contribution, such as financing, technology, manufacturing, and tourism.
Notwithstanding global challenges, the Qatari economy remained rock-solid with powerful performance, and in 2030, the real GDP per capita reached approximately USD 62,488, reflecting high productivity levels and accelerated economic growth.
As for the fourth pillar of Environmental Development: "Climate Action and Green Prosperity", environmental sustainability has been a key pillar in QNV 2030. This vision has been brought to fruition through ambitious policies and concrete projects that support Goal 13 of SDGs: "Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts", as well as the rest of the environmental goals, with Qatar proclaiming crystal-clear commitments with the Qatar National Environment and Climate Change Strategy 2024-2030 (QNECCS).
In essence, QNECCS has set concrete targets, foremost of which is reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2030, restoring 30% of degraded natural habitats, and protecting 30% of land and marine areas as natural reserves. The strategy also places the highest priority on enhancing the country's resilience to the impacts of climate change through broad institutional and community engagement.
Interestingly, Qatar hasn't restricted its activity to achieving sustainable development on the national stage but moved ahead with forging global partnerships and development cooperation. Throughout recent years, the nation has undertaken an impactful pivotal role in the area of international development cooperation, an epitome of its enduring commitment to Goal 17 of SDGs: "Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development".
Through its diplomatic initiatives and foreign development programs, the State of Qatar has harnessed its resources and expertise in the service of other nations, particularly the most vulnerable and least-developed ones.
Since 2020, the State of Qatar has provided over USD 4.8 billion in foreign aid, of which roughly 90% has been earmarked to least-developed countries, and nearly two-thirds of this aid has been allocated to support the SDGs, focusing on critical sectors including poverty reduction, education, healthcare, and humanitarian relief.
Drawing upon the robust advances achieved thus far, the nation will continue to adopt innovative solutions that center on leveraging technology, bolstering institutions, and forging partnerships so as to accelerate the accomplishment of the SDGs by 2030.
By virtue of this unwavering commitment, today Qatar remains at the pinnacle of leading standing on the regional stage in terms of sustainable development and earns global recognition as a reliable partner in global development efforts.
The path toward development is underway with a clear-eyed track based on QNV 2030 and SDGs 2030, which spearhead Qatar toward an enduring future for all, a future that ensures the distribution of development gains to all community members to be further maintained for posterity.
