Nepal has been elected as the Chair of the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD). The 11th APFSD began under the theme “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Eradicating Poverty in Times of Multiple Crises: The Effective Delivery of Sustainable, Resilient, and Innovative Solutions in Asia and the Pacific” at the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC) in Bangkok, Thailand.

The National Vice Chair of the National Planning Commission (NPC), Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha, was elected the APFSD Chair. Nepal’s candidacy was proposed by Japan, and it was backed by Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Following the election, Dr. Shrestha expresses his gratitude to all the meeting representatives. The 11th APFSD will conclude on February 23, and it will primarily focus on discussions on the goals numbers 1 (poverty), 2 (zero hunger), 13 (climate action), 16 (peace, justice, and strong institutions), and 17 (partnership for the goals), according to NPC spokesperson Yamlal Bhusal.

The Forum will assess progress on the SDGs under review and the above-mentioned goals. This regional platform is dedicated to informing, empowering, and supporting countries in the Asia-Pacific region, with a particular focus on least-developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing states. It is said that the platform strives to facilitate the achievement of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals and their corresponding targets outlined in the 2030 Agenda.

Based on the discussions and consensus in the Forum, a report will be presented to the United Nations High-Level Political Forum to be held in July 2024, assessing progress and challenges in the implementation of the SDGS in the Asia-Pacific.