The Asia and Pacific REGION Developments Forum (Policy Forum on Development) is taking place in Kathmandu, Nepal from September 24-26. The forum has gathered over 100 delegates, representatives from civil society organizations, local self-governing bodies, and EU institutions to discuss progress on the Open Plan adopted by 2030.
From Kyrgyzstan, the following are participating in the forum: D.Uturova (Government Office), Z. Kochorbaeva from the Social Technologies Agency, and Anna Kirilenko from the BIOM Ecological Movement. An important goal of the forum is to exchange experiences and discuss the complexities and obstacles to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“We have 10 years to make people’s lives better, sustainable, comfortable, and ultimately happy,” said European Commission representative Antoniu Fernandes de Velasco in his welcoming speech.
The Asia and Pacific REGION faces systemic problems that hinder the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly exacerbating inequality. According to the progress report on achieving SDGs, none of the regional SDGs are expected to be achieved by 2030 based on current trends. Urgent actions are needed for strengthening and protecting the environment, managing natural resources, and handling chemicals and waste. Biodiversity protection is still showing negative trends. The creation of hazardous waste, reduction of forest areas, and challenges concerning water and aquatic ecosystems are expected to regress the most by 2030 compared to 2015.
In Central Asia, positive trends are noted in 6 – access to clean drinking water, 10 – reduction of inequality, 14 – aquatic ecosystems, and 13 – climate change achievements. Regression is observed in 5 – gender equality, 11 – sustainable cities and communities, and 8 – economic growth.
All documents related to the current meeting (agenda, information documents …) can be found on the event’s dedicated page. https://europa.eu/capacity4dev/policy-forum-development/discussions/asia-regional-meeting-take-place-kathmandu-september-2019
