Introduction:

All countries around the world strive to achieve sustainable development, aiming to meet basic human needs, improve living standards, and enhance well-being. This is done through the optimal use of resources and human energies, strengthening them, proper future planning, and activating the activities of all sectors to implement economic and social growth plans, which are characterized by integration, sustainability, environmental oversight, and social responsibility.

Most Arab countries have adopted the concept of sustainable development as a core pillar in their efforts to improve the quality of life for citizens, develop current conditions, strengthen economies, and achieve prosperity, productivity growth, and income. Therefore, they have integrated the “Sustainable Development Strategy” as a general framework in all their developmental plans.

Sustainable Development Goals:

Sustainable development is a global term aimed at developing the planet’s natural and human resources for the benefit of present generations without harming the needs of future generations. The United Nations drew the map for sustainable development, which was adopted by world leaders in a historic summit in 2015. It focuses on three main dimensions: economic, social, and environmental, and revolves around 17 goals that together represent a plan to achieve a better, more sustainable future for the world’s societies. These goals are:

• Goal 1: End poverty in all its forms everywhere.

• Goal 2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture.

• Goal 3: Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages.

• Goal 4: Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.

• Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.

• Goal 6: Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.

• Goal 7: Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.

• Goal 8: Promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all.

• Goal 9: Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and foster innovation.

• Goal 10: Reduce inequality within and among countries.

• Goal 11: Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable.

• Goal 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.

• Goal 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.

• Goal 14: Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources.

• Goal 15: Protect, restore, and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss.

• Goal 16: Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.

• Goal 17: Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development.

Goals Related to the Construction and Building Sector:

Six of the most important goals of the 17 goals identified by the United Nations for sustainable development are the responsibility of the construction and building sector. These goals are, in order:

• Goal 6: Ensure availability of clean water and sanitation for all.

• Goal 7: Increase the share of renewable and sustainable energy and ensure its affordable access.

• Goal 8: Enable conditions that allow all working-age people to access decent employment opportunities.

• Goal 9: Build resilient, high-quality, reliable, and sustainable infrastructure (transportation, irrigation, energy, ICT).

• Goal 11: Promote urban expansion, improve road safety, and ensure access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing and essential services for all.

• Goal 17: Establish partnerships between governments, the private sector, and civil society to achieve the goals.

The Role of the Arab Construction Sector in Achieving Sustainable Development Goals:

The construction and building sector plays a significant role in achieving these critical sustainable development goals and promoting their concept, especially since construction work is the essential element in implementing any project, including infrastructure projects across all sectors such as transportation, energy, communications, housing, education, health, and water.

Because a country’s strength and capability in construction depend primarily on the abilities of construction companies, the aspirations for achieving sustainable development in the Arab world lie largely on the shoulders of the Arab construction sector. This sector forms a major economic force in the Arab world, both in terms of human, material, and technical resources, and in terms of the size of the market.

The Arab Contractors’ Union has shown significant interest in participating in achieving the sustainable development goals in Arab countries, within the union’s scope (the six goals mentioned earlier), and has developed a unified Arab vision in the context of the Arab Economic Unity Council. This has been done using available Arab developmental resources and local solutions.

Challenges to Arab Sustainable Development in General:

Efforts towards sustainable development in the Arab world face numerous obstacles, some of which have long-term impacts, including political and social instability, especially in recent years. Other challenges include rising population numbers, increasing unemployment, migration from rural to urban areas, water scarcity and pollution, limited attention to renewable energy in some Arab countries, a lack of advanced research and training centers, and inadequate infrastructure due to mounting pressure on services and facilities. Additionally, there is a lack of coordination and cooperation in developing a unified Arab strategy to improve the living, economic, social, and health conditions of Arab citizens.

The Union’s Vision for Achieving Arab Sustainable Development:

The Arab construction sector is of utmost importance to the economies of Arab countries, ranking second after oil as the largest source of national income. According to the World Bank, it accounts for 70% of total developmental investment allocations in Arab countries. In 2017, the value of construction projects executed in the Arab world reached hundreds of billions of dollars, ranking second globally after the United States in terms of the volume of construction projects. This sector also provides jobs for 30% of the Arab workforce, achieving Goal 8 of the Sustainable Development Goals, as it employs both organized and unorganized labor intensively, in addition to industries that rely on it as the primary outlet for their products. There are over ninety industries and activities related to this sector, some tied to the pre-construction phase, some to the construction phase, and others to the post-construction phase.

The Arab Contractors’ Union, as an essential component of Arab economic integration within the framework of the Arab Economic Unity Council, has been working on several fronts to help achieve the concept of sustainable development at the Arab level. Among the key areas of focus are:

• Strengthening and developing the Arab construction industry to be capable of implementing major infrastructure projects that achieve sustainable development goals.

• Creating a strong regional Arab construction bloc, mobilizing all shared human, material, and technical resources to achieve competitive capabilities, enabling Arab companies to participate in the reconstruction of affected countries and compete with international companies.

• Encouraging Arab governments to prioritize Arab companies and labor, thus contributing to reducing unemployment, especially in times of economic downturn and limited projects due to fluctuating oil prices and other economic challenges.

• Strengthening public-private partnerships to promote self-reliant Arab development.

The Union also contributed to the establishment of an arbitration chamber for engineering contracts to resolve disputes amicably, developed a unified contractor classification proposal for working outside their countries, and continues to work on creating a unified contract system and standardizing engineering codes.

Conclusion:

The Arab Contractors’ Union emphasizes the need for a stronger commitment to the Arab construction sector from all relevant parties as it plays a vital role in achieving the sustainable development goals in the Arab world. Consequently, efforts should be intensified to strengthen the capabilities of Arab construction companies, providing all necessary human, material, and technical resources to ensure that they are equipped to execute sustainable projects efficiently and with the required quality.

The role of the Arab League, the Arab Economic Unity Council, and the Arab Housing Ministers Council is crucial in supporting the efforts of the Arab Contractors’ Union in this regard.