22 May 2014
Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development Holds First Meeting
story highlights

The inaugural meeting of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) was convened by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Royal Thai Government, on the theme of ‘Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).' The Forum brought together ministers, government officials, private sector and civil society representatives from 30 countries in the region to discuss sustainable development priorities for the post-2015 development agenda.

United Nations21 May 2014: The inaugural meeting of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) was convened by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Royal Thai Government, on the theme of ‘Achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).’ The Forum brought together ministers, government officials, private sector and civil society representatives from 30 countries in the region to discuss sustainable development priorities for the post-2015 development agenda.

The APFSD is expected to meet annually as the regional platform that will give input to deliberations of the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand, highlighted the importance of poverty eradication, inequality, disaster risk reduction and preparedness, and universal health coverage, as among the priorities for the post-2015 agenda. He also said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is developing its Post-2015 Vision, and may choose to formulate “ASEAN Development Goals.”

The Forum took place in Pattaya, Thailand, on 19-21 May 2014.

A civil society meeting convening on 15-17 May – supported by ESCAP – produced recommendations to the Forum in an outcome document titled ‘Advancing a People’s Agenda for Development Justice.’ Civil society representatives also called for redistributive justice to be one of the pillars of the post-2015 development agenda. [ESCAP Press Release] [Civil Society Recommendations] [Civil Society Statement]


related events


related posts