Why is International Cooperation important for development?
Sustainable development should support the required balance between human, economic and environmental development, and should be characterized by sustainability, quality and efficiency. The inevitable mechanism for achieving this development depends on improving the quality and efficiency of both the individual and the institution. At the United Nations, human development of individuals is essential and therefore the correct term for development is not only "sustainable development" but, rather "sustainable human development", and based on the international momentum to do so holistically, the United Nations adopted the Millennium Development Goals in 2000. It also adopted the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in September 2015, to ensure that the international development agenda achieves 17 sustainable human development goals by 2030.
Years ago, under the guidance of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Qatar decided to formulate a national strategic vision called Qatar National Vision 2030, years before the adoption of the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations in 2015. His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, was vigilant enough to establish a national team that includes various practicable teams to implement a national plan to serve and realize this vision. The wise and responsible leadership of His Highness realized that by 2015, when the deadline for achieving the Millennium Development Goals was reached, the international community would need an additional period of time until 2030 to continue its comprehensive efforts to achieve sustainable human development. Therefore, Qatar decided to define 2030 on its agenda to achieve its vision of promoting social, economic and environmental life on its soil, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGS) to ensure security, stability and human rights in Qatar; this is the essence and benefits of realizing Qatar National Vision 2030.
The Department of International Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which I have the honor of managing, was established to partner with other departments to achieve Qatar's National Vision 2030. The Department has become a key player with the Qatari teams charged with implementing Qatar's strategic development plan. It has also prepared the sectorial strategy for international cooperation as part of the second national strategy 2017-2022, that was launched in early of 2017 to achieve Qatar's National Vision 2030.
The sectorial strategy for international cooperation has identified a major outcome: international cooperation and effective and organized partnerships. The intermediate results for achieving this key outcome include:
- National development efforts that contribute to building peace and security at the regional and international levels.
- Effective human and institutional capacities for international cooperation.
- Improved communications to support consistency in international cooperation activity.