The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) convened a regional forum on sustainable development (RFSD) in preparation for the 2025 session of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) in July. The meeting served as a platform to discuss regional progress on sustainable development and explore solutions to accelerate the SDGs while leaving no one behind.
The Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) brought together government officials, civil society, youth, and international organizations to identify regional trends, discuss best practices and lessons learned, and strengthen regional collaboration on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Delegates called for “prioritized, targeted actions with strong multiplier effects across different sectors so that the region moves closer to as many targets as possible.” They underscored the need to invest in future generations for better education, health, and youth employment and called for intergenerational collaboration.
In her opening remarks, UN Under-Secretary-General and ESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana acknowledged that while sustained economic growth in Asia and the Pacific has lifted millions out of poverty, the SDGs remain out of reach. Yet, she noted, “[w]ith the technology and finance that drive the world now largely coming from the region, the means to attain sustainable development lie within us,” calling for commitments to be translated into concrete actions.
In a video message, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed recognized the region’s “immense potential to accelerate SDG progress” and its role as “a global leader in digital innovation and connectivity.” She underscored the need for regional collaboration to create new opportunities for economic resilience and social progress, enhance cross-border connectivity, and drive regional supply chain integration.
With 12 out of the 39 voluntary national review (VNR) presenters in 2025 coming from Asia and the Pacific, President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Bob Rae commended “the region’s commitment to evidence-based follow-up and shared learning in pursuit of the SDGs.” He said partnerships within and beyond the region and collaboration among governments, civil society, the private sector, and international organizations are critical to the success of the 2030 Agenda – an approach called for in this year’s Asia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report.
At the Forum, ESCAP, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the UN Development Programme (UNDP) launched the 2025 Asia-Pacific SDG Partnership Report, which highlights the need for a just transition by advancing decent work, gender equality, and social protection. The report describes more than 50 examples of scalable and adaptable solutions and good practices implemented across the region.
Asia-Pacific youth communicated to the APFSD a call to action, offering situational analysis and recommendations on each of the five SDGs under review in 2025. “It is time to move beyond conversations, trust young people with inclusive, innovative and science-based solutions and facilitate intergenerational linking and learning for a cohesive sustainable development agenda,” said Shayal Nand, who presented the document.
The 12th APFSD was the first of five RFSDs to convene in 2025. It took place in Bangkok, Thailand, from 25-28 February under the HLPF 2025-aligned theme of ‘Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for leaving no one behind in Asia and the Pacific.’ Its outcomes will feed into the July session of the HLPF, where countries will carry out in-depth reviews of five Goals: SDG 3 (good health and well-being); SDG 5 (gender equality); SDG 8 (decent work and economic growth); SDG 14 (life below water); and SDG 17 (partnerships for the Goals). [ESCAP Press Release] [UN News Story]