The “Arab Conference on the Role of Civil Society in the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030” will begin tomorrow at Qatar National Convention Centre (QNCC).
It will focus on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Arab countries, discussing the role of civil society organisations and the private sector in playing a more effective role through collaboration with government entities concerned.
The two-day event is being organised by Qatar Foundation for Social Work (QFSW) and will see the participation of representatives from all Arab countries, all GCC countries, Arab League, United Nations Population Fund, United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia.
Speaking to the local press yesterday, QFSW executive director Amal al-Mannai said they are holding the conference in view of the growing importance of civil society organisations in the Arab world.
“For the first time, many Arab governments have admitted the vital role of such organisations in maintaining sustainable development. They have also assigned them greater roles, which used to be assumed only by governments earlier. In Qatar, we have a positive experience in this respect and the conference will be a very good platform to share our experiences with others and help them overcome their difficulties,” she noted.
Al-Mannai said the conference is being held for the first time, hoping it would be a practical platform for the entities concerned to meet, discuss views and share experiences on various topics of interest. Further, it will be a good opportunity to discuss the practical steps to be taken to achieve the targeted goals, especially regarding funding and organisational issues.
“We think that our experience in Qatar as civil society organisations, though relatively new, is a good example to be followed by others in terms of independence in decision-making and effective co-operation with both the government and private sectors,” she said.
Al-Mannai expected that the conference would come up with a well-defined strategy to follow up on its decisions and recommendations, and work out solutions for the challenges facing many Arab countries in achieving concrete results in this area.
In September last year, the 193 member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development.
The conference is being held the patronage of HH Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, chairperson of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development. It is sponsored by Qatar Insurance Company.