With increasing focus on sustainable development, countries worldwide are making efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Saudi Arabia, in particular, has made significant progress in aligning its economic and social agenda with these global objectives. The Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP) holds a critical role in this journey, overseeing the Kingdom’s SDG performance and leading the Voluntary National Review presented at the UN High-Level Political Forum. To further these efforts, KAUST has established Memorandum of Understanding with MEP, that is offering support to the Kingdom’s sustainability agenda.

In February, KAUST convened a collaborative workshop with MEP in Riyadh, designed to strengthen their joint efforts in tackling Saudi Arabia’s most pressing challenges. The workshop provided a hands-on learning experience that enabled MEP employees to engage with global sustainability problems and the difficulties of decision making using a simulated environment.

Participants represented various sectors, including government and intergovernmental organizations, and were tasked with prioritizing issues, proposing solutions, and resolving conflicts through dialogue and negotiation, while developing three fictional countries. During multiple rounds of the simulation, participants explored future scenarios and the outcomes of their strategic decisions affecting their development towards the SDGs.

Collaborations of this kind are crucial to advance Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals, which aim to diversify the economy, promote innovation, and foster sustainable development, and contribute directly to several pillars of Vision 2030. The workshop also fostered this collaboration between KAUST and MEP, highlighting the importance of strategic alliances in advancing sustainability across sectors in Saudi Arabia.

To Learn how KAUST is further supporting the SDGs check our annual SDG reports in the Knowledge Hub.