The Lagos State Government, through the Office of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), recently engaged in a high-level strategic meeting with the Consul-General of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) consulate in Lagos towards implementing sustainable projects.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on SDGs, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, who led the Lagos delegation to the Consulate Office in Victoria Island, explained that the engagement was centred on strengthening bilateral relations between Lagos State and the UAE as potential areas of collaboration and partnership were explored across sustainability projects and cultural exchange.
Finnih noted that the meeting signifies the deepening commitment from both Lagos State and the UAE to work closely together toward shared goals as the State Government continues to develop policies towards accelerating the delivery of the global agenda across communities.
“By joining forces, pooling resources and sharing knowledge, we can make a real and tangible impact in our community, foster deeper collaboration and inspire positive change”, she maintained.
Dr. Oreoluwa affirmed that as the Office responsible for coordinating efforts to achieve the UN SDG Agenda 2030 within the local Lagos context, the SDGs Office will continue collaborating closely with the private sector, NGOs, academia and development partners to promote sustainable development initiatives with the greatest impact.
The Consul-General of the UAE Consulate in Lagos, Dr. Abdulla Al-Mandoos, revealed that the UAE is fully committed to supporting the global agenda through sustainable projects and programmes in Lagos State. He pledged the consulate’s commitment to strengthen cooperation with the state to achieve the global goals.
“We are excited to further expand our partnership with the Lagos State SDGs Office, and work hand-in-hand on impactful projects that will not only benefit the local Lagos community, but also contribute meaningfully to the global efforts to address urgent challenges”, Al-Mandoos said.
According to him, this high-level engagement between the SDGs Office and the UAE Consulate is a promising step toward building a more sustainable, equitable and prosperous future for Lagos State and Nigeria as a whole. It exemplifies the power of international cooperation between developing and developed economies to drive positive change.
Both parties expressed determination to leverage their respective expertise, resources, networks and global influence to identify, develop and execute strategic sustainable development projects. The projects aim to drive economic growth, social inclusion and environmental sustainability for the benefit of Lagosians.
The meeting also had in attendance the top management of both organisations.