Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP)
Q1. How have the COVID-19 pandemic and the current food, energy and financing crises changed the priorities of your organization?
The COVID-19 pandemic had an unprecedented socio-economic impact on the Asia and Pacific region and required a well-coordinated, multi-sectoral response. In assisting member States in responding to the pandemic, the three core functions of ESCAP and the balanced integration of the economic, social and environmental pillars of sustainable development of ESCAP’s programme of work were of increased importance.
In May 2020, ESCAP launched a framework outlining its support to member States in addressing the socio-economic impact of the pandemic. Building on the organization’s mandates it included four main areas of work: ensuring economic recovery, protecting people, restoring and building resilience in supply chains, and protecting and restoring ecosystems through integrated actions aligned with the SDGs.
Through its research function, ESCAP focused on assessing the development impact of the health crisis as well as the food, energy and finance crises and reoriented its support for member States where it was most needed. To mitigate the impact of rising food and energy prices on the most vulnerable and poor, ESCAP supported member States in enhancing and expanding targeted social safety nets. As more countries in the region are likely to face tighter fiscal positions and higher risks of debt distress, ESCAP also increased the focus of its analytical products and advisory services on smart spending and fair taxation. At the multilateral level, ESCAP facilitated discussions to address economic concerns that require cooperation such as debt implications and debt relief.
Convening member States at the 76th Session of the Commission, held for the first time in virtual format, resolution 76/2 “Regional cooperation to address the socioeconomic effects of pandemics and crises in Asia and the Pacific”, reaffirmed the mandate of ESCAP and highlighted member States’ concerns about the COVID-19 impact on health and the rapid increase in poverty and inequality the region.
At its 77th session, the Commission adopted resolution 77/1 “Building back better from crises through regional cooperation in Asia and the Pacific”, calling on ESCAP to promote regional cooperation on trade and investment, improve social protection systems, and enable universal, equitable and timely access to quality, safe, effective and affordable diagnostics, therapeutics, medicines, vaccines and essential health technologies for all countries. This has underscored the urgent need to realign ESCAP’s priorities and activities to better support Asia and the Pacific in the recovery process.
The 78th Commission session was guided by the theme “A common agenda to advance sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific” and focused on pathways to achieve more inclusive and sustainable post-pandemic recovery. It identified elements for a common agenda for present and future generations centred on protecting people and the planet, leveraging digital opportunities, trading and investing more together, raising financial resources and managing debt.
Capacity building focused on supporting member States in formulating and implementing policies for sustainable development, ensuring sustained progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, while addressing the socio-economic effects of the pandemic and the challenge of climate change all the while faced by the constraints of the food, energy and finance crises. These activities targeted the building of technical, managerial and organizational capacities in the developing countries to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, focusing on the preparation of voluntary national and local reviews, assessing progress towards achieving the Goals, calculating the investment needs related to the Goals, identifying those left behind and addressing inequality of opportunity, as well as determining the interlinkages of the Goals.
To ensure the relevance of its work, ESCAP has also published a multidisciplinary analysis on the impact of COVID-19 in Asia and the Pacific and the policy response to it. Strengthening investment in social protection, expanding financial and monetary policies for small and medium enterprises, facilitating connectivity and trade, and strengthening climate action are some of the key elements of this policy response at the regional and subregional levels.
ESCAP remains committed to helping member States recover from the pandemic by strengthening regional cooperation and focusing on ensuring economic recovery, protecting people, restoring and building resilience in supply chains, and protecting and restoring ecosystems. ESCAP will expand action to address climate change and opportunities to accelerate the transition to renewable energy, strengthen resilience to natural disasters and develop a response based on science, innovation and technology, and incorporate data and statistics into the programme of work.
Q2. How has your organization supported Member States to accelerate their recovery from COVID-19 and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda? How has your organization cooperated with other UN system organizations in these efforts to achieve coherence and synergies? Please highlight up to three high-impact initiatives, especially those that address interlinkages among the SDGs and involves interagency collaboration. Concrete initiatives might be selected to be spotlighted during relevant intergovernmental meetings.
InitiativeEnhancing preparedness for future crises
PartnersUN Resident Coordinators, UN development system
Relevant SDGs1, 5, 8, 13, 17
Member States benefiting from the initiativeCambodia, Maldives, Mongolia
DescriptionHelping countries to develop comprehensive and universal social protection as the first line of defense from crisis. In Asia and the Pacific, over half of the population is not covered by any social protection scheme. ESCAP is supporting member States such as Cambodia, the Maldives and Mongolia, in cooperation with the UN development system, in enhancing social protection systems in line with the Action Plan to Strengthen Regional Cooperation in Social Protection. Helping countries to develop holistic risk reduction systems. In Asia and the Pacific, such a system would cost $270 billion a year, a third of current annual losses. ESCAP is helping countries to adapt to the new risk landscape and develop response strategies such as the implementation of the ASEAN Regional Plan of Action for Adaptation to Drought.
Websitewww.unescap.org/ASEAN-Policy-Toolkit (embargoed until 23 November 2022), Asia Pacific Risk & Resilience Portal | Resilience Portal (unescap.org)
InitiativeAccelerating decarbonization of the economy
PartnersRelevant ministries, the Regional UN Development System
Relevant SDGs7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15
Member States benefiting from the initiativeCambodia, Indonesia, Mongolia
DescriptionHelping countries to fast-track inclusive energy transition. ESCAP is working with countries to develop national SDG 7 Road Maps which were already completed in 11 countries and three cities and more are in the pipeline. Helping countries to recast more ambitious climate actions. ESCAP has scaled up support to countries, including through the Regional Collaborative Platform, including revising NDCs, developing e-mobility strategies and plans, and developing modalities for regional cooperation to tackle air pollution.
Websitehttps://www.unescap.org/projects/nexstep
InitiativeAligning public and private finance to deliver sustainable development
PartnersUN Resident Coordinators, UN development system
Relevant SDGs7, 8, 11, 12, 13, 15
Member States benefiting from the initiativeIndonesia, Cambodia, Mongolia, 6 member States in the Pacific
DescriptionHelping countries to align recovery policies with the SDGs and the Paris Agreement. ESCAP’s macro-economic modelling tool has been developed and used to help policymakers in Indonesia and Mongolia to simulate the socio-economic and environmental effects, including on public debt sustainability, of different national economic policy scenarios. Helping countries to develop innovative financing, such as green bonds and debt for climate swaps. ESCAP is working with governments and partners to explore innovative financing mechanisms for the SDGs such as debt-for-climate swap in the Pacific and SDG bond in Cambodia.
WebsiteThe promise of debt for climate swaps in the Pacific | ESCAP (unescap.org)
Q3. Has your organization published or is it planning to publish any analytical work or guidance note or toolkits to guide and support recovery efforts from COVID-19 while advancing full implementation of SDGs at national, regional and global levels? Please select up to three high-impact resources to highlight, especially those that address interlinkages among the SDGs. Selected resources will be highlighted to inform relevant intergovernmental meetings.
ResourceEconomic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific 2022: Economic policies for an inclusive recovery and development
Publishing entity/entitiesESCAP
Relevant SDGsAll SDGs
Target audienceCountries in the Asia-Pacific region, policymakers, development organisations
DescriptionThe survey examines the impact on the region’s economic growth and recovery from the covid-19 pandemic. It highlights the roles that fiscal, monetary and structural policies can play in the quest for building an inclusive stakeholder economy and looks ahead at how countries in the region can build forward fairer to ensure sustained and inclusive economic recovery and development.
Websitehttps://www.unescap.org/kp/2022/economic-and-social-survey-asia-and-pac…
LanguageEnglish, Chinese, Russian
ResourceToolkit for Policymakers on Strengthening Women’s Entrepreneurship in National Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Policies and Action Plans
Publishing entity/entitiesESCAP, ASEAN Secretariat, the Government of Canada
Relevant SDGsSDGs 1, 5, 8, 10, 17
Target audiencePolicymakers, MSME agencies and other relevant stakeholders
DescriptionESCAP’s Catalysing Women’s Entrepreneurship programme, supported by the Government of Canada, has been instrumental in lifting the barriers to access finance for women-led MSMEs who are key to the economy yet more vulnerable to crises. The Toolkit for Policymakers, led by the ASEAN Coordinating Committee on Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (ACCMSME) and ESCAP, has been designed as a practical tool to enable MSME agencies and other relevant stakeholders to assess gaps, take stock of opportunities and design gender-focused interventions through national policies to advance women’s entrepreneurship in the ASEAN region. The Toolkit for Policymakers was endorsed by the ASEAN Economic Ministers at the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting in September 2022.
Websitewww.unescap.org/ASEAN-Policy-Toolkit (embargoed until 23 November 2022)
LanguageEnglish
ResourceAsia and the Pacific SDG Progress Report 2022
Publishing entity/entitiesESCAP
Relevant SDGsAll SDGs
Target audienceStakeholders, regional analysts, national experts
DescriptionThe report focuses on the intersection of key development challenges with population characteristics, such as age, gender, race, ethnicity, health, location, migratory status and income. The analysis in the 2022 edition of the SDG Progress Report has given special priority to those who are furthest behind. A better understanding of development outcomes for distinct population groups and intersecting vulnerabilities is key to a fairer recovery. The evidence-base to assess progress in the region continues to strengthen, although the pandemic proved to be an obstacle to data collection and some data gaps remain. This report shows that international and national cooperation has helped improve the availability of data about the Sustainable Development Goals, but there is still much more to be done to fill all the data gaps.
LanguageEnglish, Japanese
Q4. How has your organization engaged with stakeholder groups to support SDG implementation and COVID-19 recovery at national, regional and global levels? Please provide main highlights, including any lessons learned. For example, what has worked particularly well as a model for effective stakeholder engagement? If your organization has established multi-stakeholder partnership(s) in this regard, please describe them (name, partners involved, relevant SDGs, Member States benefiting from the partnership) and provide links to relevant websites for more information.
PartnershipAsia-Pacific SDG Partnership
PartnersADB, UNDP & ESCAP
Relevant SDGsSDGs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Member States benefiting from the initiativeCountries in the Asia Pacific including ESCAP 62 members and associate members as well as ADB 68 members
DescriptionThe ESCAP-ADB-UNDP Asia-Pacific SDG Partnership is based on the common interest to eradicate poverty and achieve inclusive growth and sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific. The partnership seeks to deepen linkages between evidence-based policy and implementation at national, sub-regional and regional levels, drawing from respective strengths to produce and disseminate regional SDG reports to support follow up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The theme report for 2022 Building Forward Together: Towards an Inclusive and Resilient Asia and the Pacific (https://sdgasiapacific.net/knowledge-products/0000023) aims to support regional dialogue, in preparation for the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development and to inform implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The report considers pandemic impacts on prospects for achieving the SDGs, and how countries have been responding to this complex and still evolving crisis. The report analyzes key factors that are shaping recovery prospects, including vaccination and access to diagnostics and therapeutics; social protection; digitalization; economic structure; environmental risks; and fiscal space. Three interrelated thematic areas at the core of the Sustainable Development Goals agenda are highlighted for urgent policy action: inclusion (ensuring social protection and quality education for all), women’s empowerment (advancing gender equality), and environmental sustainability (building inclusive green economies). During the Ninth Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development, Governments were urged to raise the ambition of their national recovery strategies. Representatives of major groups and other stakeholders had the opportunity to call on leaders to promote rights-based and people-centred development pathways and to leverage the expertise, knowledge and good practices of indigenous peoples in supporting the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
Websitehttps://sdgasiapacific.net/
PartnershipCollaboration with international organisations in the Pacific
PartnersThe Pacific Community, the secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, and the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS)
Relevant SDGsAll
Member States benefiting from the initiativeCountries in the Pacific subregion
DescriptionESCAP continued to strengthen partnerships with members of the Council of Regional Organizations of the Pacific, including the conclusion of agreements with the Pacific Community and with the secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme, to accelerate the implementation and the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda and the SIDS Accelerated Modalities of Action (SAMOA) Pathway. ESCAP collaborated with the Pacific Island Forum Secretariat to address the mobilization of investments in climate resilience in the Pacific through the development of and multistakeholder dialogues on debt-for-climate-swap. Building on this work on climate financing, ESCAP and Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat also renewed their commitment to cooperate on the Pacific Roadmap for Sustainable Development and the First Quadrennial Pacific Sustainable Development Report.
Websitehttps://www.unescap.org/sites/default/d8files/2021-04/SPC%2026Apr21_0.p…
https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/d8files/2022-06/SPREP-25Nov21.pdf
https://www.unescap.org/sites/default/files/19940609-PIFS_0.pdf
https://www.unescap.org/blog/promise-debt-climate-swaps-pacific
PartnershipCollaboration with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
PartnersASEAN
Relevant SDGsAll
Member States benefiting from the initiativeCountries in the ASEAN region
DescriptionESCAP continued to collaborate with ASEAN to enhance complementarities between the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the 2030 Agenda. The two organizations co-hosted the fourth ASEAN Inclusive Business Summit which demonstrated the practical application of inclusive business in the public and private sectors to help ASEAN to build back better from the COVID-19 crisis and included workshops on areas ranging from sustainable agriculture to strengthening railway transport. A number of other high-level dialogues were organized in collaboration with ASEAN on areas such as sustainable finance and competition policy in support of economic recovery of micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises. These policy dialogues addressed the challenges and issues confronting ASEAN member countries and supported the identification of pathways leading to a full recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Website
Q5. In the 2019 SDG Summit declaration (GA Resolution 74/4), Member States outlined ten priority areas for accelerated action in SDG implementation. Please highlight any major integrated and innovative policies or initiatives that your organization may have adopted in these ten priority areas:
5.1 Leaving no one behind
To address the chronic vulnerabilities aggravated by the pandemic, ESCAP has been supporting member States in enhancing social protection systems in line with the Action Plan to Strengthen Regional Cooperation in Social Protection. Technical support was delivered to Cambodia, the Maldives and Mongolia to take stock of the social protection systems. The Social Protection Online Tool, SPOT, to support countries’ implementation of the Regional Action plan. SPOT is the first regional tool of its kind to not only estimate cost of extending social protection but also evaluate its impact on poverty and consumption. Its user-friendly interface is the result of adopting the agile methodology in gathering user feedback and rolling out a better version of the previous simulator. The ESCAP Action Plan to Strengthen Regional Cooperation on Social Protection defines social protection as “nationally defined policies and programmes that provide equitable access to all people and protect them throughout their lives against poverty and risks to their livelihood and well-being. This protection can be provided through a range of mechanisms, including cash or in-kind benefits, contributory or non-contributory schemes, and programmes to enhance human capital, productive assets and access to jobs. It includes, but is not limited to, child benefits; benefits and support for people of working age in case of maternity, disability, work injury or unemployment; and old age pensions.”
Using ESCAP’s Classification and Regression Tree analysis and the Dissimilarity index, ESCAP also helped identify the groups furthest behind and analyze inequality of opportunity in Kiribati, the Maldives, Mongolia, Thailand, and Turkmenistan. The analysis also served as basic inputs for the United Nations Country Teams as part of the Common Country Analyses such as in Nepal and Mongolia in 2022. Additionally, ESCAP supported Bangladesh, Bhutan, China, India, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, and Thailand in disability-inclusive development policies. Moreover, in terms of addressing the challenges and opportunities of population ageing, the secretariat has supported countries in the implementation of international norms and standards and strengthening of national policies. This includes capacity building for Bhutan, Cambodia, Kyrgyzstan, the Maldives, and Mongolia to conduct assessment of the implementation of the Madrid Plan of Action on Ageing, and technical support to national stakeholders in Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste to develop policies for harnessing the demographic dividend with a gender dimension.
5.2 Mobilizing adequate and well-directed financing
Recovery from the COVID-19 crisis provides an opportunity to build back better in Asia and the Pacific, including through multilateral and international cooperation at all levels. The intergovernmental discussions in the region in 2021 and 2022 highlighted countries’ ambition and commitment to build resilience and invest in solutions, ranging from leveraging digital opportunities, trading and investing more together, raising financial resources and managing debt. ESCAP engagement, partnership and analysis underline the need to listen to and work with vulnerable people at the centre of crisis-prepared policy action and new people-centred partnerships. The results of the 2021 programme of work have helped to build the momentum for this change to occur. With the Secretary General’s Our Common Agenda as the accelerator, the way forward is to help to the region turbo charge the implementation of the 17 Goals. The secretariat will continue to support member States and regional and national stakeholders in realizing that shared ambition.
With regards to mobilizing additional financial resources, the ESCAP report Financing the SDGs to Build Back Better from the COVID-19 Pandemic in Asia and the Pacific reviews a range of financing instruments, strategies and mechanisms that can help Asia-Pacific economies recover from the pandemic and effectively pursue the Sustainable Development Goals. It takes a deep dive into the role of innovative climate and digital finance strategies to address the financing gaps in the region and support post-pandemic recovery.[1]
Regional collaboration is pivotal to achieve net-zero, which is why ESCAP and the Global Green Growth Institute signed a five-year partnership agreement to support Asia-Pacific countries to develop green low-carbon post-COVID-19 recovery strategies and policies, with a focus on supporting least developed, landlocked developing and small island developing countries. Joint analysis provides options to help countries raise their climate ambitions and Nationally Determined Contributions and achieve these goals by examining critical policy gaps and barriers to climate finance and identifying potential financial instruments.[2]
In the wake of the pandemic, ESCAP has also provided technical support to assess the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and design recovery package in line with the 2030 Agenda. This includes dedicated support to the relevant line Ministries and stakeholders in Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan and Samoa to conduct fiscal assessment and identify the relevant design of the fiscal stimulus package. ESCAP’s macro-economic model was applied in Indonesia, Mongolia, and Nepal to explore different national policy scenarios for building back better.
As part of the Global Crisis Response Group, ESCAP and other Regional Commissions contributed to the global analysis of the impact of the war in Ukraine in 2022 and to the development of a common methodology and a global scorecard to evaluate country’s exposures to food, finance and energy shocks. ESCAP also produced its own policy brief on “The war in Ukraine: impacts, exposure and policy issues” in May 2022. This provided regional policy insights, supported discussions of the Regional Collaborative Platform in June 2022, and served as inputs to the global scorecard.
ESCAP and other Regional Commissions have been partnering with UN High Level Climate Champions and the COP-27 Presidency to showcase climate-aligned investment opportunities in the region to private financiers. A pipeline of 26 projects from around the region in a wide range of areas such as energy transition, sustainable transport, and climate-resilient agriculture were introduced at COP-27. The secretariat will continue to build on the pipeline and work with the Climate Champions to bring them closer to interested financiers.
ESCAP, in coordination with the United Nations Country Team in Cambodia, is supporting the National Bank of Cambodia and relevant Ministries in strengthening the national Sustainable Development Goals financing mechanisms. The support includes advisory services and technical assistance to mobilize and align financing with sustainable development and to steer post-COVID economic recovery towards an inclusive, climate-resilient, and sustainable future in Cambodia. This is part of the wider collaboration with the ASEAN Secretariat to develop a roadmap on the development of goal-linked bonds in ASEAN.
5.3 Enhancing national implementation
To accelerate energy transition in Asia and the Pacific, ESCAP has been supporting member States to develop national Goal 7 roadmaps using the National Expert Sustainable Development Goals Tool for Energy Planning. This process enables policymakers to make informed policy decisions to support the achievement of Goal 7 targets for clean and affordable energy, as well as emission reduction targets under the Paris Agreement. With ESCAP’s support, roadmaps were completed in Bhutan, Fiji, Georgia, Indonesia, Nepal, Tonga, and Kyrgyzstan, as well as in cities such as Cauayan (Philippines), Jakarta (Indonesia) and Iskandar (Malaysia). ESCAP is working with member States to implement the nine road map strategies. Ongoing work includes supporting regulatory harmonization and capacity building; development of a “Green Power Corridor” roadmap for North-East Asia; and the development of a set of principles for sustainable connectivity in the form of a “Green Power Corridor Framework”.
To translate climate ambitions into national actions, ESCAP has developed an innovative carbon pricing simulation tool to understand the country-specific macroeconomic effects of sector transitions. The simulation tool will support the development of national greenhouse gas emission scenarios for Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, among others, in partnership with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Asian Development Bank.
5.4 Strengthening institutions for more integrated solutions
ESCAP’s Review of Transport Developments in Asia and the Pacific 2021 assesses the effects of COVID-19 on urban transport systems. It provides recommendations on how urban transport system policies and plans can integrate the three key elements of environmental sustainability, social inclusiveness and resilience. The Review also presents the results of a modeling exercise on future scenarios, which found that energy efficiency and electric vehicle scenarios had the most significant impact on reducing emissions.
In this context, countries in Asia and the Pacific adopted a potentially transformative agenda for transport that would enable greener, smarter and more resilient ways to move people and goods around the region and across the world. Transport ministers agreed to a new Regional Action Programme for Sustainable Transport Development (2022 - 2026) that provides concerted action to address rising freight and passenger volumes and rapid urbanization with high motorization rates, as well as encourages accelerated use of digital technologies, deployment of smart transport systems, and transitioning towards safer, more inclusive and low-carbon transport systems. The Conference also adopted a Ministerial Declaration on Sustainable Transport Development in Asia and the Pacific which calls upon all stakeholders to further intensify efforts to address the region’s lagging sustainability performance and enhance resilience to future crises.
The Ministerial Conference featured a rethinking of transport priorities in the region towards more efficient and resilient transport and logistics, as well as affordable, accessible, reliable, safe and sustainable mobility. Ministers also welcomed national and regional efforts to preserve and enhance transport connectivity during the pandemic; endorsed the Transport Research and Education Network; agreed to work towards a harmonized legal framework for multimodal transport; and encouraged a regional approach on sustainable multimodal freight transport.
5.5 Bolstering local action
ESCAP provided technical support to build capacity of policymakers in environmental management. This includes the annual executive training on environment and development and the Asia Pacific Mayor Academy. Furthermore, ESCAP supported the development of Voluntary Local Reviews in several cities, utilizing Regional Guidelines for Voluntary Local Reviews launched in 2020.
5.6 Reducing disaster risk and building resilience
Through its Multi-donor Trust Fund for Tsunami, Disaster and Climate Preparedness, ESCAP continues to address the gaps of early warning through climate outlook forums in 14 Asia-Pacific countries and an expansion of the geographic scope to the Southwestern Pacific to address the needs of high-risk Small Island Developing States. The Trust Fund deepened its partnerships through cooperation with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, the expansion of its donor base to the Government of Italy and by formalizing the cooperation with the Regional Integrated Multi-Hazard Early Warning System for Africa and Asia.
5.7 Solving challenges through international cooperation and enhancing the global partnership
From 12 to 14 September, for the first time in the Asian-Pacific region, the 11th Annual Global South-South Development Expo (GSSD Expo), co-organized by the Government of the Kingdom of Thailand, the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) was held (Global South-South Development Expo 2022 | ESCAP (unescap.org)). The overarching theme of the GSSD Expo 2022 was "Advancing South-South and Triangular Cooperation for Sustainable COVID-19 Recovery: Towards a smart and resilient future". For the first time the Expo was convened in an innovative hybrid green format allowing the innovative forms of Southern-led knowledge sharing, and pandemic response and recovery showcased onsite to be shared far and wide in real-time.
Over 4000 South-South and triangular cooperation stakeholders from more than 30 UN agencies, 150 governments, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, and academia participated in GSSD Expo activities both onsite and virtually, and more than 1.5 million were reached via social media, showcasing solutions toward sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Key subthemes of the GSSD Expo were:
• Digitalization and Smart Future
• SDG aligned South-South Approaches and Practices, Trade and Investment
• Role of Youth and Women, Volunteerism and Entrepreneurship, and Public-Private Partnership
• Creative Economy and Sustainable Tourism
• Green Recovery, Environmental Sustainability and Climate Action
• Food Security and Supply Chain
• Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change
• Public Health Preparedness and Emergency Response
In 2021, ESCAP launched the RIVA Value Chain Analyzer as an online tool for policy makers, analysts and researchers to better understand their economy’s integration in global value chains (https://riva.negotiatetrade.org). Together with the Trade Intelligence and Negotiation Adviser tool, both help national stakeholders to use ready-made statistics and comprehensive analysis for their trade policy making processes.
Regional Integration Analyzer (RIA) – part of RIVA platform - is an online platform that allows users to explore integration between economies from both conventional and sustainable development lens. The platform has 50 indicators across 7 dimensions – Trade, Finance, Value-chains, Infrastructure, Movement of people, Regulatory and Digital integration. RIA allows users to intuitively explore integration between 58 Asia-Pacific economies and every other economy in the world.
RIA streamlines the collaborative policymaking process by making complex datasets available in one platform and presenting them in an intuitive manner. It is the first platform to include the inclusivity and sustainability dimensions in the composite index for monitoring whether regional integration could potentially contribute to achieving the SDGs. Moreover, the composite index provided by the platform is more flexibile, robust, transparent, and scalable than other integration indices.
ESCAP also supported Bhutan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, and the Philippines to implement sustainable FDI strategies and tools. With ESCAP’s facilitation, participating stakeholders were able to explore the potential for foreign direct investment in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, its national implications and roadmap for implementation.
5.8 Harnessing science, technology and innovation with a greater focus on digital transformation for sustainable development
The pandemic has clearly demonstrated the importance of digital connectivity. However, the digital divide has also deepened socioeconomic inequalities. As the pandemic enters its third year, the need to strengthen investments in digital infrastructure and technologies and ensure that the dividends from digital and emerging technologies, notably those related to geospatial technology applications, benefit everyone, have become key prerequisites for the achievement of the Goals.
To that end, and pursuant to resolution 77/1, in which the Commission recognized the importance of digital cooperation at the regional level, members and associate members have finalized a draft action plan for the implementation of the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway for the period 2022–2026. The plan sets forth a blueprint of regional cooperative actions to strengthen digital cooperation and capacities, including through the Asian and Pacific Training Centre for Information and Communication Technology for Development. The draft action plan was endorsed by the Committee on Information and Communications Technology, Science, Technology and Innovation at its fourth session, held from 30 August to 1 September 2022.
An increasing number of corporations are beginning to realign their priorities with the Goals, transforming operations in the private sector. Innovative business models are emerging, such as social enterprises and inclusive business models which aim to address social and environmental challenges through market-based approaches and to provide livelihood opportunities, products and services to those at the base of the economic pyramid. In addition, a new wave of investors is shifting the paradigm from investing for profit to investing for impact.
In collaboration with the Alliance for Affordable Internet, ESCAP analysis shows that meaningful connectivity – defined by appropriate access to a device, connection, sufficient data and regular Internet use - is not solely tied to a country’s income level or population density. While Internet access has enabled many to adjust to pandemic restrictions, connectivity remains a challenge for many individuals in poor or rural parts of Asia and the Pacific. Future policies must be crafted with these vulnerable populations in mind.
ESCAP worked with member States to implement the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway initiative and its Action plan as the blueprints for regional collaboration for universal digital connectivity, digital transformation and a more inclusive digital society. To this end, ESCAP has been supporting the promotion of subregional Internet Exchange Points between Fiji, New Zealand and Samoa and between Cambodia, Lao PDR, Viet Nam and Thailand. ESCAP has also supported the establishment of an information sharing platform for determining smart infrastructure corridors in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Mongolia and a sub-regional digital solution center for Central Asian countries in Kazakhstan.
Through the Asia-Pacific Plan of Action on Space Applications for Sustainable Development, ESCAP helped to strengthen national capacity in adopting geospatial information as evidence base for planning and policy making for the Goals. Capacity building support together with satellite-derived data contributed by member States and cooperation partners were provided to stakeholders in Cambodia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tonga, and Uzbekistan for the use and management of geospatial information for drought and crop monitoring, land use management, mapping the COVID-19 hotspots and monitoring and early warning of forest fire and cyclones.
5.9 Investing in data and statistics for the SDGs
ESCAP is leading the regional initiative on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics to ‘Get Every One in the Picture’ and supports the United Nations Legal Identity Agenda Initiative. Technical assistance by ESCAP to member states has helped with the production of vital statistics, assessing inequalities in registration, setting up national coordination mechanisms as well as strengthening national systems and processes. With ESCAP’s facilitation, there has been stronger collaboration amongst development partners to support countries in their implementation of the Regional Action Framework for Civil registration and Vital Statistics in Asia and the Pacific endorsed in 2014.
ESCAP developed a tool to support Goal progress assessment at the national level. The “National SDG Tracker” which enables countries to produce their own Goal progress assessment dashboards using their own data, indicators, and national target values (https://data.unescap.org/stories/national-sdg-tracker). In 2021, ESCAP supported the United Nations Resident Coordinator and Country Team in Thailand in using the tool to produce a national Goal progress assessment and an integrated analysis as the basis for the Common Country Analysis. The Tracker is being implemented in collaboration with national statistical systems and the Resident Coordinator’s Offices in 9 countries, Brunei Darussalam, Fiji, Kyrgyzstan, Maldives, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Samoa, Tuvalu, and Uzbekistan.
5.10 Strengthening the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF).
The Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) is an annual and inclusive intergovernmental forum and a regional platform for supporting countries, in particular those with special needs, in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development while serving as a regional preparatory meeting to the high-level political forum.
The Forum provides a regional perspective on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda by identifying regional trends and consolidating and sharing best practices and lessons learned. The Forum takes into consideration the contributions of United Nations system bodies (at the regional level), other regional and sub regional organizations, and relevant stakeholders. The APFSD also supports follow-up and review of progress on the 2030 Agenda at the regional level.
The Ninth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development, held from 28 to 31 March, provided an inclusive platform for countries to share regional best practices and lessons learnt, support the presentation of their voluntary national reviews, and assess progress made towards implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Forum brought together a cross-section of key development actors, including senior government and UN officials, the private sector, youth and civil society representatives to share their experiences and mobilize regional action under the theme “Building back better from COVID-19 while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Asia and the Pacific.” Forum participants undertook an in-depth review of the region’s progress on Sustainable Development Goals 4 (Quality education), 5 (Gender equality), 14 (Life below water), 15 (Life on land) and 17 (Partnerships for the Goals) through round tables coordinated and organized by various United Nations entities.
The Forum concluded with a resounding call for countries to ensure that COVID-19 recovery strategies are inclusive, sustainable and leave no one behind despite the mounting challenges ahead. Furthermore, the Forum noted the need for policy actions to be grounded in human rights, focus on the vulnerable and empower women and girls through multi-stakeholder partnerships as well as the importance of enhancing social protection, providing quality education, and advancing gender equality. Please see Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development 2022 | ESCAP (unescap.org) for more information.
Q6. Following the adoption of the 2022 Ministerial Declaration, please highlight any major integrated and innovative policies or initiatives that your organization may have adopted related to the below, if applicable:
6.1 Member States encouraged "the United Nations system and all relevant actors to take advantage of emerging technologies and their applications, as appropriate, in order to maximize impact and effectiveness in data analysis and collection and stress the need to bridge the digital gap among and within countries" (Paragraph 86)
The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the interlinkages between digitalization and development. The pandemic catalysed the deployment of innovative digital solutions and digital cooperation for coping with everyday activities and new socio-economic development opportunities. At the same time, the digital divides that the pandemic exacerbated have widened and threatened development inequalities across countries.
In response to this demand, ESCAP members and associate members through resolution 78/1 in May 2022 committed to strengthen digital cooperation at all levels including ministerial level in closing digital connectivity divide, ensuring digital skills training, strengthening digital connectivity, addressing digital trust and security and promoting inclusive digital economy and society. ESCAP members and associate members also recognized that the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway could provide one of the useful regional platforms to promote digital cooperation.
The Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway Action Plan 2022-2026 was endorsed by ESCAP’s Committee on ICT and STI at its fourth session on 1 September 2022. ESCAP and the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) of the Republic of Korea, in collaboration with partner agencies, held the “First Asia-Pacific Digital Ministerial Conference 2022: Shaping Our Common Future”, in Seoul, Republic of Korea on 10 November 2022. The Ministerial Conference provided the opportunity to discuss the status, challenges and pathways to advance digital transformation and strengthen regional digital cooperation with the ICT and Digital Ministers of the Asia-Pacific region towards building an inclusive digital society and economy. The Chair’s summary affirmed that the Asia-Pacific Information Superhighway could be one of the useful regional platforms for the promotion of digital cooperation.
6.2 Member States specifically called upon the UN system “to work with the newly established United Nations Food Systems Coordination Hub, hosted by FAO, to support Governments to develop and strengthen SDG-based national pathways for sustainable food systems transformation” (Paragraph 128).
ESCAP is partnering with WFP and FAO to develop a framework to assess multidimensional risks in food systems in Asia and the Pacific, in the context of the ongoing conflicts, price shocks, climate change, environmental degradation and other shocks and stressors facing the region. The framework will support governments, UN bodies, and development partners to identify food system vulnerabilities at the national, and regional level, and provide insights on short and long-term opportunities for transitioning to healthier, fairer and more sustainable food systems in Asia and the Pacific in order to achieve the sustainable development goals.”
ESCAP (through the Centre for Sustainable Agricultural Mechanization) is enabling regional cooperation and knowledge exchange among member States for sustainable food systems transformation in collaboration with partners including FAO and WFP. These efforts have especially addressed regional needs and priorities in the areas of combating soil degradation, climate-smart agriculture, support for smallholder farming, and application of ‘smart’ technologies.
Q7. The 2023 SDG Summit is expected to provide political leadership, guidance and recommendations for sustainable development and follow-up and review progress in the implementation of sustainable development commitments and the achievement of the 2030 Agenda, including through national and regional consultations, which will mark the beginning of a new phase of accelerated progress towards the SDGs. In the lead up to the 2023 SDG Summit, please provide your organization’s recommendations on how to overcome challenges to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the achievement of the SDGs, taking into account the thematic reviews and voluntary national reviews conducted to date.
The Ninth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development was held on the theme of building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID‑19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific. During the Forum, members and associate members of the ESCAP, intergovernmental bodies, United Nations bodies and specialized agencies, and major groups and other stakeholders engaged in a dialogue on regional perspectives on the 2030 Agenda in Asia and the Pacific. The key messages stemming from the Forum, further detailed below, included the following:
- The need for inclusive and sustainable approaches and strengthened regional cooperation to build back better and deliver on the 2030 Agenda;
- The need for policy actions to be grounded in human rights, focus on the vulnerable and empower women and girls through multi-stakeholder partnerships;
- The importance of enhancing social protection, providing quality education, advancing gender equality, and accelerating the transition to inclusive and green economies, and prioritizing nature-based solutions for climate mitigation and adaptation;
- The importance of increasing investment in sustainable and greener pathways and of balancing short-term recovery measures against long‑term sustainability objectives;
- The key role of partnerships, humanitarian support and regional initiatives, including in education, gender, digital connectivity and the environment;
- The need for stronger linkages between national, subregional and regional forums, increased subregional cooperation and joint strategies to tackle common challenges and risks;
- The opportunity provided by voluntary national reviews to strengthen national ownership, share homegrown development approaches and locally driven pathways, and improve coordination among various levels of government for better policy integration and the critical role of peer learning in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda;
- The importance of the collective work of the United Nations development system in supporting members and associate members of the Commission in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.