The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) endorsed regional plans for implementing the 2030 Agenda in Western Asia and the Asia Pacific respectively, in two separate resolutions from its 44th plenary meeting.
15 August 2016: At its 44th plenary meeting, the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) endorsed regional plans for implementing the 2030 Agenda in Western Asia and the Asia Pacific in two separate resolutions.
The UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) adopted its regional strategy and plan of action for Western Asia in December 2015. In the ESCWA resolution, Member States request support from the ESCWA secretariat for: incorporating the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into national development plans; strengthening statistical systems and regional follow-up processes, such as the Arab Forum on Sustainable Development; monitoring progress toward achievement of the SDGs; and preparing regional follow-up reports using official data. They also request the ESCWA secretariat to harmonize its strategic framework for the 2016-17 biennium with these activities, and to provide the necessary human and financial resources needed to carry them out, including setting up a dedicated technical unit.
In a similar resolution adopted at its May 2016 meeting, the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) commits to effective regional implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The ESCAP resolution calls on the Executive Secretary of ESCAP to: support the process to define a regional road map for implementing the 2030 Agenda in the region, following on from the recommendations of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development; and to strengthen support to Member States for implementation, including through creating knowledge-sharing products and platforms, and enhancing data and statistical capacities. The resolution also calls for supporting Member States through the use of models and tools to enhance regional cooperation on the SDGs, with a special emphasis on least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs) and small island developing States (SIDS).
The ECOSOC resolution (E/RES/2016/10) endorses the actions called for in the ESCWA resolution, while ECOSOC resolution (RES/2016/11) endorses those called for in the ESCAP resolution. Both includes the full text of the regional commissions’ resolutions as annexes. [ECOSOC Resolution on ESCWA Resolution] [ECOSOC Resolution on ESCAP Resolution]