Asia-Pacific Countries Convene On Regional Actions To Mitigate COVID-19 Impacts

Heads of State, senior government officials, and other stakeholders from 62 countries will convene this week to coordinate stronger regional responses in addressing the significant socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has hard hit the Asia-Pacific region.

They will also review how these impacts may further affect the region’s progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

For the first time in history, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) will also be hosting its two key annual regional meetings - the 7th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) and the 76th Session of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (CS76) – on a fully virtual platform.

Themed “Accelerating action for and delivery of the 2030 Agenda in Asia and the Pacific”, delegates at the APFSD on 20 May will assess six entry points for the region to accelerate action to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, namely: 1. Human well-being and capabilities, 2. Sustainable and just economies, 3. Food systems and nutrition patterns, 4. Enhancing power grid connectivity to achieve affordable and clean energy for all, 5. Urban and peri-urban development and 6. Global environmental commons.

Meanwhile, high-level participants at CS76 on 21 May will delve into the theme “Promoting economic, social and environmental cooperation on oceans for sustainable development” as well as review proposals on coordinated regional action to contain and mitigate the effects of the global health crisis, and enable Asia-Pacific countries to build back better. The session is expected to culminate in two regional-level UN resolutions addressing both these areas.

Members of the media and public are invited to participate via the webcasts on https://www.youtube.com/unescap.

Highlights:

7th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development

When: 20 May 2020, Wednesday, 0900 – 1530 (GMT+7)

Key speakers:

H.E. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thailand

H.E. Fidelis Magalhães, Minister for Legislative Reforms and Parliamentary Affairs of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

Ms. Amina J. Mohamed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations

Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP

Dr. David Nabarro, Professor of Global Health at Imperial College (London), and one of the Special Envoys to the World Health Organization on COVID-19

Professor Sohail Inayatullah, Inaugural UNESCO Chair in Futures Studies. Professor, Tamkang University, Associate at Melbourne Business School, University of Melbourne and the Metafutures School

Launch of the Asia-Pacific SDG Partnership Report “Fast-tracking the SDGs: Driving Asia-Pacific Transformations”

When: 20 May 2020, Wednesday, 1230 – 1325 (GMT+7)

Key speakers:

Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP

Mr. Bambang Susantono, Vice-President for Knowledge Management and Sustainable Development, ADB

Ms. Valerie Cliff, Deputy Assistant Administrator, Deputy Regional Director for Asia & the Pacific and Director of the Bangkok Regional Hub, UNDP

Professor Sohail Inayatullah, Inaugural UNESCO Chair in Futures Studies

76th Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

When: 21 May 2020, Thursday, 0900 – 1630 (GMT+7)

Key speakers:

H.E. Prayut Chan-o-cha, Prime Minister of Thailand

H.E. Joko Widodo, President of Indonesia

H.E. Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh

H.E. Josaia Voreqe Bainimarama, Prime Minister of Fiji

H.E. Kausea Natano, Prime Minister of Tuvalu as Chair of Pacific Islands Forum

Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations

Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP

Ms. Inger Andersen, United Nations Environment Programme Executive Director

Ms. Fekitamoeloa Katoa ‘Utoikamanu, High Representative for the Least Developed Countries, Landlocked Developing Countries and Small Island Developing States