Saudi economy minister meets UN chief in New York

Saudi Minister of Economy and Planning Faisal bin Fadel Al-Ibrahim on Wednesday met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development in New York.

During the meeting, they discussed sustainable development issues of mutual concern and ways to further strengthen cooperation between Saudi Arabia and the UN.

Al-Ibrahim also held talks with the federal minister for the EU and the Constitution at the Federal Chancellery of Austria, Karoline Edtstadler, reviewing matters of common interest and updates on issues related to sustainable development.

Separately, as part of the Saudi Quality of Life Program — a Vision 2030 initiative — Al-Ibrahim and representatives of Saudi government institutions and UN agencies took part in a panel session held on the sidelines of the forum.

Delegates discussed the transformation that has taken place in quality of life in the Kingdom since the launch of Vision 2030 as well as the global urbanization-driven improvement in living standards and healthcare.

Participants in the session also highlighted the importance of addressing climate change and meeting sustainable development targets set by the UN.