Accelerating Recovery and Reducing Inequalities in Sustainable Development Towards 2030


3 June 2022; 2:00 - 4:00 PM

Venue: Tonino Lamborghini International Convention Center Sharm El Sheikh (Sinai Hall)


Arab Republic of Egypt



Overview:

Prior to the onset of the pandemic, progress towards achieving the SDGs by 2030 looked like a real possibility. Two years into the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, that possibility is looking bleaker. SDGs related to alleviating poverty, making sure all have access to proper nutrition, health services and education, addressing climate change and reducing inequalities, have all regressed substantively. Indeed, accelerated by the advent of the Covid-19 crisis, the world has not witnessed this level of rising inequality in decades.

According to the Bank’s analysis (via the report entitled “Reaching the SDGs: Progress of IsDB Member Countries”), IsDB member countries overall SDG Index score stands at 61.0 in 2021 (the same level of 2020), suggesting that as a grouping, member countries are just at sixty percent towards achieving the 17 SDGs. In addition, whilst progress has been made in some goals, major challenges remain. Despite high achievement on some goals. Due to COVID-19 pandemic, there is a severe drop in the levels of Goals 1 and 2, Goal 1 (No Poverty) decreased by 2 percentage points in 2021 while Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) deteriorated by 8 percentage points in 2021.

On the other hand, the pandemic has also brought new innovations in technology, particularly in digital technologies as well as in healthcare, positively impacting the global response to the treatment of the COVID-19. New innovations in education, while mainly being adapted by well-off countries, provide new pathways for expanding the reach of education to all corners of society through inclusive development policies. A fresh look at development approaches is required in order to accelerate recovery from the pandemic and ensure that no one is left behind. Substantive lessons learned from the pandemic have to be considered to formulate smart and inclusive national as well as global socio-economic policies, which need to be actioned rapidly in order to provide a dignified scorecard on sustainable development by 2030.



Key issues to be addressed:

  1. What is the current state of development across the globe in general, and in IsDB MCs in particular, regressions in the SDGs, rise in inequalities and how the pandemic has exacerbated the achievement of the Goals within this Decade of Action.
  2. What are the substantive lessons learned from the pandemic which should inform new policy directions for sustainable development.
  3. What key actions need to be taken rapidly to arrest the regression of sustainable development in IsDB member countries and what the IsDB can do to contribute to this process.

  • Speakers
    • H.E. Muhammad Al Jasser

      Is the President and Chairman of IsDB Group. H.E. previously served as Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Economy and Planning. H.E. is also a former Governor of Saudi Central Bank, and an advisor at the General Secretariat of Saudi Council of Ministers.    

    • H.E. Hala Helmy El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development

      is the Egyptian Minister of Planning and Economic Development and the IsDB Governor. She is a prominent female banking figure, as a member of the Central Bank's Board of Directors and previously as an Executive Director of the Egyptian Banking Institute.

    • H.E. Sri Mulyani Indrawati, Minister of Finance, Republic of Indonesia

      From 2002 to 2004, she served as the Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund from 2002 to 2004. In October 2004, she was appointed as Indonesia’s Minister of Development Planning. Shortly after this, in December 2005, she started her new post as the Minister of Finance.

    • H.E. Alamine Ousmane Mey, Minister of Economy, Planning and Regional Development

      In 2003, Mey was appointed General Manager of Afriland First Bank. In 2011, he became the Minister of Finance. He undertook a range of financial reforms and refocused government investment towards sustainable development. He was also recognized as Finance Minister of the Year by prestigious 2016 African Banker Awards.

    • H.E. Amadou Hott, Minister of Economy, Planning and International Cooperation, Republic of Senegal

      He was appointed as the Minister of the Economy, Planning and International Cooperation in April 2019. Prior to this, he was the Vice President of the African Development Bank in charge of Power, Energy, Green Growth and Climate Change Complex, from November 2016 to March 2019.

    • Zamir Iqbal

      Vice President (Finance & Administration) & Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Islamic Development Bank (IsDB).

      Since 2017, he is serving as Vice President (Finance & Administration) & CFO of Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) managing its AAA rating. Prior to joining the IsDB, he served at senior positions at the World Bank.

    • H.E. Merza Hasan, Dean of Executive Board & Executive Director, World Bank Group

      He was elected in 2006 to represent thirteen countries as Executive Director to the World Bank Group (WBG).  In his current role, Hasan decides on the proposals made by the President on IBRD loans and guarantees, IDA credits and grants, IFC investments, MIGA guarantees, and policies that impact the WBG operations.

    • Rami Ahmad, Senior Advisor to the President & Special Envoy on SDGs, Islamic Development Bank Group

      Rami is the Special Envoy on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the IsDB’s G20 Sherpa, in addition to his duties as Senior Advisor to the President of the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB). He is supporting the President on global advocacy activities, including the World Economic Forum (WEF), and as a sherpa for the Heads of MDBs Forum. He is also a member on the Board of Directors of ICD, the private sector arm of the IsDB Group.