Sustainable Development award winner lauded

Manama : Arab and foreign political personalities and diplomats have highlighted the significance of the “His Royal Highness Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa Award for Sustainable Development” that has been granted to Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka, the former Minister of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements, Tanzania.

The award was presented during a grand ceremony held at the UN Headquarters night on the sidelines of the 71st UN General Assembly (UNGA) session.

The personalities emphasized that the award reflected the extent to which the leadership of the Kingdom supported the efforts of the international community on sustainable development.

Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Helen Clark hailed the award as a wonderful event, saying that Bahrain had the right to be proud of its accomplishments in achieving the Millennium Development Goals.

GCC  Secretary General Dr. Abdullatif  Al Zayani expressed appreciation to Prime Minister HRH Prince  Khalifa  bin Salman  Al  Khalifa  for the prestigious initiative of His Highness Award for Sustainable Development . 

Al Zayani said that Bahrain was able to achieve the Millennium Development Goals well ahead of the target.

Princess Basma bint Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, also expressed sincere thanks and appreciation for Bahrain’s leadership, government and people for the celebration, which coincided with the celebration of Saudi Arabia’s National Day.

“We are proud there is an award with such a great significance in New York,” she said, stressing that the Prime Minister Award for Sustainable Development was on behalf of the Arab nation and not only Bahrain because “we are all one family.”

Princess Basma lauded the objective of the award to stimulate continuous and lasting humanitarian and development field work.

She said that the sustainable development goals for 2030 were approved last year in New York, and the keenness of the Kingdom on sustainable development and on bestowing an award in this area reflected the Bahrain’s attention to the issue and its positive contributions.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Shaikh Khalid bin Ahmed Al Khalifa said that Professor Anna Kajumulo Tibaijuka was bestowed the award in recognition of her contributions to the service of humanity and the fight against poverty in the world.

He said that Tibaijuka visited Bahrain and appreciated the achievements of the Kingdom and its government in various fields in the service of the people and submitted her reports. The minister added that she fully deserved the award.

Professor Tibaijuka said she was grateful for the award and thanked the Prime Minister for his constant support to her throughout her tenure at the UN.

She added that the award gave a special significance to the efforts of her team in order to achieve the goals of sustainable development and present an incentive to all people for further efforts and more work in order to achieve human solidarity.

She further added that eventhough she worked for seven years at the UN she never expected someone to bestow an award on her.

Tibaijuka is also the former UN- Under Secretary-General of the United Nations and Former Executive Director, UN-Habitat and Director – General of the United Nations Office in Nairobi.