ESCAP forum urges urgent SDG action

In a powerful display of unity and urgency, representatives from South and South-West Asian countries gathered in New Delhi for the Eighth South and South-West Asia Subregional Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

The forum, held from November 12 to 14, served as both a platform for dialogue and a rallying cry for accelerated collective action to address the subregion's most pressing development challenges.

Opening the forum, UN Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana called for decisive action on key SDGs affecting health, gender equality, employment, life below water, and partnerships (SDGs 3, 5, 8, 14, and 17). 

“We must address multi-dimensional challenges to our health systems and ensure that women and girls have equal opportunities across all sectors,” Alisjahbana stated, emphasizing the need to prioritize youth employment for the region's young populations.

Amid progress, forum participants noted persistent challenges, including climate impacts, natural disasters, and gaps in informal employment and gender equality. Discussions aimed to produce actionable recommendations on environmental protection, bridging the gender gap, youth employment, and safeguarding water resources, amongst others.

Representing the host country, Suman Bery, Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog, underscored the role of government-private sector collaboration as essential for sustainable growth, especially for SDG 8 and SDG 17. 

“Achieving the 2030 Agenda requires ambitious, holistic approaches, recognizing the unique challenges faced by countries across the region,” Md. Golam Sarwar, Secretary General of the SAARC Secretariat added.

UN Resident Coordinator in India Shombi Sharp highlighted India’s leadership in South-South cooperation through the SDG Index, a model that aligns national strategies with the global Goals. 

Organized by ESCAP in collaboration with the Government of India, the Research and Information System for Developing Countries, and the UN in India, this three-day forum is part of a broader initiative that spans five subregional meetings. 

Insights from these discussions will feed into the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) and the UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in 2025, helping set a course towards achieving the 2030 Agenda across Asia and the Pacific.

As the forum concluded, a collective resolve emerged among participants to harness regional and subregional cooperation, aiming to overcome obstacles and advance shared goals. The gathering stands as a testament to the power of collaboration, reflecting the optimism and unity needed to transform sustainable development from aspiration to reality for South and South-West Asia.