(MENAFN- The Peninsula) The Peninsula
DOHA: Qatar affirmed its economy's ability to overcome the challenges of the blockade and to continue the development process towards achieving the goals of the global sustainable development agenda 2030.
This came during the second national voluntary review of the State of Qatar, presented by Minister of Development Planning and Statistics H E Dr Saleh bin Mohammed Al Nabit during the High-level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, QNA reported.
The Minister said that the economy of Qatar is strong and cohesive and capable of overcoming the challenges of the blockade it is facing. He pointed out that the economic growth rate of the country reached about 1.6 percent in 2017.
He noted that Qatar's GDP per capita is the highest in the world, reaching $127,000 a year in 2017 (PPP at current prices). Qatar is also the top Arab country in the 2016 Human Development Index of the United Nations Development Programme.
The Minister said that life expectancy at birth was 78 years, and the infant mortality rate was about seven per thousand. The Minister also indicated that the literacy rate for adults rose to 97.8 per cent and the rate of tertiary enrolment increased to 16 percent in 2017.
He added that the rate of participation in the workforce for the age group 15 years and above was 84.6 percent, while the unemployment rate among young people was 0.8 percent in 2017, pointing out that the State of Qatar ranked 14th on the World Competitiveness Ranking of the International Institute for Management Development for 2018.
The State of Qatar is the top Arab country in the Global peace index for the past years since 2009, the Minister said, adding that it ranks 29th in the Index of Economic Freedom and 49th in the Global Innovation Index.
He also stressed that the State of Qatar believes, as Amir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani said that development and stability were interdependent, and that development cannot be sustained without good governance, the rule of law, fighting against corruption, achieving social justice, equality, and avoiding the marginalization of any group.
The Minister of Development Planning and Statistics presented the achievements of the State of Qatar with regards to the development of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which is reviewed at the high political forum.
He noted in that regard the country's efforts in sustainable management of water and sanitation services and providing it to all residents of the country, in addition to the country's efforts to ensure affordable access to reliable and sustainable modern energy services, while increasing the contribution of renewable energy to the overall energy mix of the country.
He also pointed out that the country is working to establish safe and sustainable cities and suburbs and that it works to ensure sustainable patterns of consumption and production
In this regard the Minister pointed out Qatar's commitment to international and regional environmental conventions and the commitment to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of land ecosystems, and combat desertification.
He stressed that the State of Qatar contributes to enhancing the means of implementation and activating the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development by hosting several international conferences on the subject.
The Minister of Development Planning and Statistics concluded by saying that the State of Qatar remains a strong and reliable partner in achieving international peace and security, noting the country's great contribution to the dialogue between different civilizations and religions and combating terrorism and extremism.
He stressed that Qatar will continue its development path relying on science, its national strategy and population policy and the goals of the Global Sustainable Development Agenda 2030, which have been integrated into the national development strategy sectors 2018-2022.
The establishment of the United Nations High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) was mandated in 2012 by the outcome document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), 'The Future We Want. The format and organizational aspects of the Forum are outlined in General Assembly resolution 67/290.
The HLPF is the main United Nations platform on sustainable development and it has a central role in the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the global level. General Assembly resolution 70/299 provides further guidance on the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.
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