Noor bint Ali Alkhulaif, Minister of Sustainable Development and Chief Executive of the Bahrain Economic Development Board (Bahrain EDB), presented the Kingdom of Bahrain's Third Voluntary National Review (VNR) on progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) during the 2026 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Noor Alkhulaif reaffirmed that, under the leadership of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and the directives of His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince and Prime Minister, the Kingdom of Bahrain continues to accelerate progress towards the SDGs in a manner that enhances quality of life, supports economic growth, and preserves natural resources and the Kingdom's cultural heritage for future generations.
She said Bahrain's Third Voluntary National Review reflects the localisation of the SDGs through four main pillars: empowering human capital, preserving heritage, culture and national identity, securing the future, and promoting economic sustainability. She added that the review highlights Bahrain's systematic approach to monitoring progress through the continuous review of national indicators, assessment of data gaps and strengthened collaboration with stakeholders.
Noor Alkhulaif highlighted Bahrain's continued investment in human capital through education, healthcare and skills development, noting efforts to equip Bahrainis with future-ready skills, empower youth, advance women's participation, adopt precision medical technologies, modernise national curricula and expand internationally recognised academic programmes.
She also emphasised Bahrain's commitment to preserving its cultural heritage and national identity while reinforcing the Kingdom's role as a global model for tolerance and coexistence.
She highlighted preparations for Bahrain Vision 2050 and the implementation of national strategies focused on environmental sustainability, climate action, urban development, digital transformation and investment in advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and space science.
Noor Alkhulaif noted the Kingdom's continued progress in economic diversification and strengthening the competitiveness of the national economy, with the non-oil sector contributing more than 85% of Bahrain's gross domestic product (GDP). She said this progress has been driven by innovation, talent development, supportive regulations and entrepreneurship.
In her concluding remarks, Noor Alkhulaif emphasised that effective partnerships and international cooperation remain essential to accelerating progress towards the SDGs and reiterated the Kingdom of Bahrain's commitment to supporting multilateral action.