FAO at the 2024 Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development
Hybrid Event, 20/02/2024 - 23/02/2024
©FAO/Farooq Naeem
The Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) is an annual, inclusive intergovernmental forum to support follow-up and review of progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the regional level.
It took place from 20-23 February 2024, 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”, in Bangkok, Thailand.
In alignment with the focus of the 2024 HLPF, the Forum assessed progress on the SDGs under review: Goal 1 (No poverty); Goal 2 (Zero hunger); Goal 13 (Climate action); Goal 16 (Peace, justice, and strong institutions) and Goal 17 (Partnership for the Goals). The Forum also supported the presentation of voluntary national reviews (VNRs) at the 2024 HLPF.
FAO participation at the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development
Tuesday 20 February | 09:00-17:30 (GMT+7)
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
FAO, represented by Director of the Office of SDGs, Stefanos Fotiou, delivered an official FAO statement on the first day of the 11th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development, in the session on ''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".
links: CONCEPT NOTE | REWATCH | READ THE FULL FAO STATEMENT
Wednesday 21 FEBRUARY | 09:00-11:30 (GMT+7)
Accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through voluntary national reviews
FAO, represented by Director of the Office of SDGs, Stefanos Fotiou, delivered an official FAO statement in the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development session on ''Accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through voluntary national reviews".
LINKS: CONCEPT NOTE | REWATCH | READ THE FULL FAO STATEMENT | FAO VNR Support Toolkit
WEDNESDAY 21 FEBRUARY | 11:30-12:45 (GMT+7)
Side Event: Food Systems Transformation as an Accelerator for SDGs Implementation and Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific Region
This event, organized by the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub in collaboration with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), brought discussions on food systems and climate into focus during the APFSD.
The side event featured a diverse panel addressing the challenges and opportunities associated with aligning food systems transformation with climate action. Drawing from the outcomes of the UN Food Systems Summit +2 Stocktaking Moment, the SDGs Summit, and COP28, the discussion emphasized policy coherence and the synergies between food and climate commitments made by national governments.
Links: Event website | Rewatch | Article Recap
Wednesday 21 February | 13:30-16:00 (gmt+7)
SDG 2 Round table
SDG 2 is one of the Goals under review in 2024. The SDG 2 Round Tables at the 11th APFSD brought together representatives from government, private sector, and other stakeholder organizations to discuss Asia-Pacific regional progress and identified priorities and recommendations for accelerating progress on SDG 2 which aims to “end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.”
The SDG 2 Round Table assessed themes within the SDG 2 Goal Profile, including:
- Equitable, healthy and nutritious diets (access and utilization);
- Productive, empowering, and regenerative food production (availability, agency, sustainability);
- Resilient and climate-smart food systems (stability); and
- Enabling factors and regional/transboundary issues including food trade, public-private partnerships, data, knowledge and technology management.
The SDG 2 Round Table was co-organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), in collaboration with other members of the Asia-Pacific Regional Food Systems Networking Group and other stakeholders.
Aziz Elbehri, Senior Economist/Food policy, Trade and Rural Development Module Lead, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific moderated the Roundtable.Links: CONCEPT NOTE | Presentation
Thursday 22 February | 16:45-18:00 (GMT+7)
Review of regional progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and opportunities for achieving the SDGs
FAO, represented by Aziz Elbehri, Senior Economist/Food policy, Trade and Rural Development Module Lead, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, delivered an official FAO statement in the Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development session on ''Review of regional progress in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and opportunities for achieving the SDGs".
LINKS: CONCEPT NOTE | REWATCH | READ THE FULL FAO STATEMENT
Thursday 22 February | 16:45-18:00 (GMT+7)
Side Event: Elevating Innovation and Building Capacity towards Resource-Efficient, Circular, Low-Carbon, and Climate-Resilient Economy in the Pacific.
With the participation of Stefanos Fotiou, FAO Director of the Office of Sustainable Development Goals.
Organized by EU SWITCH-Asia Policy Support Component (PSC), together with the European Commission's Directorate-General for International Partnerships, the UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centre for Asia and the Pacific (RCC Asia Pacific), and the United Nations Centre for Regional Development (UNCRD)- DSDG/UN DESA.