New York, 23 September 2025 – With just five years left to achieve the 2030 Agenda, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia placed the spotlight on partnerships and innovation as the keys to getting the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) back on track.
 

At a high-level side event during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Ministry of Economy and Planning, in collaboration with the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC), convened leaders from governments, international organizations, academia, and the private sector under the theme: “Accelerating the SDGs – A Collaborative Model for Impact-Driven, Scalable and Evidence-Based Development.”
 

The event underscored the urgency of the moment. The 2025 SDG Report shows that only 35 percent of targets are on track, while nearly half are progressing too slowly and 18 percent have gone backwards. At the same time, poverty, inequality, debt burdens, and climate pressures are deepening. Against this backdrop, Saudi Arabia used the UNGA platform to call for new ways of working that are bolder, faster, and rooted in evidence.
 

Discussions highlighted three principles at the heart of the Kingdom’s approach: focusing on impact, ensuring that resources reach the most pressing needs; designing scalable solutions, adaptable across diverse contexts; and insisting on evidence-based action, with reliable data and accountability as foundations for progress.
 

Participants stressed that cooperation is not optional but essential. The dialogue illustrated how South-South and triangular cooperation can unlock shared knowledge, strengthen resilience, and create solutions shaped by and for developing countries.
 

The roundtable brought together perspectives from Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Arab region, alongside UNDP and other international partners. UNDP was represented by Mr. George Gray Molina, Head of Strategic Engagement and Chief Economist, who shared insights on how evidence-based policymaking and innovative financing mechanisms can accelerate SDG progress while ensuring that no one is left behind.
 

The session closed with a clear message: achieving the SDGs requires collective leadership, trust built on data, and collaboration frameworks that go beyond traditional models. By hosting this dialogue at UNGA80, Saudi Arabia reaffirmed its position as a global convener and catalyst for impact-driven partnerships, shaping a future that is both sustainable and inclusive.