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27 to 30 March 2023 | By invitation only

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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, while serving as a regional preparatory meeting to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF). The Forum provides a regional perspective on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by identifying regional trends and sharing best practices and lessons learned. Since its inaugural session in 2014, the APFSD has brought governments, civil society, the private sector, and other stakeholders together to prepare for the HLPF and to support regional efforts to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.  

The 10th APFSD will be organized from 27-30 March 2023 under the theme “Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels in Asia and the Pacific” in Bangkok, at the United Nations Conference Center (UNCC). 

In alignment with the focus of the 2023 HLPF, the Forum will assess progress on the SDGs under review: Goal 6 (Clean water and sanitation); Goal 7 (Affordable and clean energy); Goal 9 (Industry. innovation, and infrastructure); Goal 11 (Sustainable cities and communities) and Goal 17 (Partnership for the Goals). The Forum will also support the presentation of Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) for the 2023 HLPF. Additionally, the APFSD will feed into the 2023 SDG Summit by providing a regional platform to comprehensively review progress at the mid-point of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and identify priorities and solutions for accelerating the implementation of the SDGs in the remaining years to 2030.
 

Sustainable Development Goals Under Review in 2023

SDG6 SDG7 SDG9 SDG11 SDG17

Subregional preparatory meetings for the APFSD 2023:

- North-East Asia Multistakeholder Forum on Sustainable Development GoalsSeptember 07-08

- North and Central Asia Multistakeholder Forum on Implementation the Sustainable Development Goals, October 06-07

- South-East Asia Multistakeholder Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals, November 07-08

- South and South-West Asia Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals, December 05-07

- Pacific Multistakeholder Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals, December 06-07

27 Mar 2023
09:00
09:00
[ NOTICE ] Please note that this is a tentative program and is subject to change.
09:00
12:00
AGENDA ITEMS 1 and 2, Ministerial Segment

Watch Live

AGENDA ITEM 1: Opening of the Tenth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development

(a) Opening addresses

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

Special remarks

·       H.E. Ms. Lachezara Stoeva, President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (video message)

·       H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Thailand

·       H.E. Mr. Edouard Fritch, President of French Polynesia (video message)

·       Ms. Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations (video message)

·       Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, Department of Economic and Social Affairs

·       Mx. Kai Ra Cabaron, KADAMAY (National alliance of the urban poor in the Philippines), Representative from the Asia Pacific Peoples’ Forum

·       Ms. Prim Rajasurang Wongkrasaemongkol, Youth advocate, Representative from the APFSD Youth Forum

(b) Election of officers
Election of the Bureau of the 10th APFSD

(c) Adoption of the agenda
Elected Chair of the 10th APFSD conducts the adoption of the agenda

AGENDA ITEM 2: Accelerating the recovery from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific

(a) Delivering on the SDGs through energy, food, and finance
(b) Ministerial panel and discussion showcasing country initiatives/successes
(c) Country and stakeholders statements

Moderator:  Ms. Catherine Haswell, UN Resident Coordinator, Maldives

 

Panelists:  

·       H.E. Mr. Pagnathun Theng, Delegate to the Royal Government of Cambodia, Ministry of Planning, Cambodia

·       H.E. Mr. Shehan Asanka Semasinghe, State Minister, Ministry of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies, Sri Lanka

·       H.E. Mr. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary, Minister, Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Pakistan

·      H.E. Mr. Abdul Halim Iskandar, Minister, Ministry of Village, Development of Disadvantaged Regions, and Transmigration, Indonesia

Speakers:

·       Mr. Woochong Um, Managing Director General, Asian Development Bank

·       Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, UN Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific (video message)

·       Ms. Karin Fernando, Senior Researcher, Centre for Poverty Analysis, Sri Lanka

12:00
14:00
Side Events and SDG Acceleration Pavilion

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14:00
17:00
AGENDA ITEM 3: Towards the 2023 Sustainable Development Goals Summit, Ministerial Segment

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(a) Mid-term review of the SDGs in Asia and the Pacific
(b) Accelerating the SDG progress in Asia and the Pacific
(c) Galvanising partnerships and commitments for the 17 Goals
(d) Country and stakeholders statements

Opening Remarks:

·       Mr. Li Junhua, USG, UN DESA

·       Ms. Armida Alisjahbana, USG, ESCAP Executive Secretary

Panel 1 Speakers:

·       H.E. Mr. David Nga Kor Ming, Minister for Local Government Development, Malaysia

·       H.E. Mr. Abzal Abdikarimov, Vice - Minister of National Economy, the Republic of Kazakhstan (video message)

·       Mr. Ajay Kumar Jha, Director, Center for Community Economics and Development Consultants Society

·       Dr. Jaime Montoya, University of the Philippines College of Medicine, Chair of the Health Sciences Division and Secretary, National Academy of Science and Technology, GSDR 2023 Independent Group of Scientists

 

 

Panel 2 Speakers:

·       H.E. Mr. Min Bahadur Shrestha, Vice-Chairman of the National Planning Commission of Nepal

·       H.E. Ms. Zhang Haidi, Chairperson of China Disabled Persons’ Federation

·       H.E. Mr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary General, ASEAN (video message)

·       Mr. Woochong Um, Managing Director General, Asian Development Bank

·       Mr. Giorgio Gamba, CEO, HSBC Thailand

·       Ms. Lajana Manandhar, Coordinator, Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR) and Executive Director, Lumanti Support Group for Shelter

·       Ms. Gita Sabharwal, United Nations Resident Coordinator, Thailand

17:00
18:30
Launch of the Partnership Report and Reception
Open Event

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Moderator: Mr. Mitchell Hsieh, Chief, Communications and Knowledge Management, ESCAP

Presenters:

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

·       Mr. Woochong Um, Managing Director General, Asian Development Bank

·       Mr. Christophe Bahuet, Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, and Director, UNDP Bangkok Regional Hub

Panelists:

·       Mr. Wongkot Wongsapai, Associate Professor in Energy Engineering and Deputy Director of Science and Technology Research Institute, Chiang Mai University 

·       Ms. Jyotsna Mohan, Regional Coordinator, Asia Development Alliance

·       Mr. Wyn Ellis, Executive Director, Sustainable Rice Platform

28 Mar 2023
09:00
12:00
AGENDA ITEM 4: Accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda through voluntary national reviews, Ministerial Segment

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Opening speaker: Ms. Dima Al-Khatib, Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC) (pre-recorded video) 

Panel 1:

Panelists:

·       Mr. Otabek Izatillaev, Head of the Department of work with ratings and indices, Executive Secretary of the Parliamentary Commission for monitoring the implementation of SDGs, Republic of Uzbekistan

·       Mr. Balchinluvsan lkhagvasuren, Director General of Integrated Development Policy Department, Ministry of Economy and Development, Government of Mongolia (online)

·       Ms. Manuchehra Madjon Mirzoali, VNR Coordinator, PhD Economics, Head of General Department on Investment Policy and Regional Development, Ministry of Economy and Trade, Republic of Tajikistan (online)

·       Ms. Nasibakhon Aminova, Executive Director, National Association of Small and Medium Businesses of Tajikistan

·      Hon. Ms. Madame Tanzila Narbaeva, Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis, Republic of Uzbekistan (pre-recorded video)

 

 

Panel 2:

Panel facilitated by:

Ms. Karima El Korri, UN Resident Coordinator, Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam

Panelists:

·       H.E. Mr. Fidelis Leite Magalhães, Minister of Presidency of Council of Ministers, Government of Timor-Leste

·       H.E. Mr. Pagnathun Theng, Delegate to the Royal Government of Cambodia, Ministry of Planning, Cambodia

·       Ms. Huraini Hurairah, Director of Wawasan Brunei Office, Prime Minister's Office, Head of Secretariat for the Special National Coordinating Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, Government of Brunei Darussalam

·       Ms. Urantsooj Gombosuren, Chairperson, Centre for Human Rights and Development, Mongolia

·       Ms. Villaney Remengesau, Co-chair of the Pacific Disability Forum, Palau

 

Concluding Remarks: Mr. Kaveh Zahedi, Deputy Executive Secretary, ESCAP

12:00
14:00
Side Events and SDG Acceleration Pavilion

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14:15
16:15
SDG Round Tables

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SDG 6 Round Table

Meeting Room A

SDG 9 Round Table

Meeting Room G

SDG 17 Round Table

Meeting Room H

16:45
18:00
Side Events

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29 Mar 2023
09:00
11:00
SDG Round Tables

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SDG 7 Round Table

Meeting Room A

SDG 11 Round Table

Meeting Room G

Side Events and SDG Acceleration Pavilion

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14:00
17:00
AGENDA ITEMS 5 and 6

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Country and stakeholders statements

AGENDA ITEM 5: Review of Regional Progress and Opportunities for Achieving the Sustainable Development Goals

(a) Implementation of the 2030 Agenda at the subregional level

Presentation on the Outcomes of all the Subregional Forums

·     Mr. Ruhimat Soerakoesoemah, Head, Sub-regional Office for Southeast Asia, ESCAP

Moderator: Ms. Mikiko Tanaka, Head, Subregional Office for South and South-West Asia, ESCAP

Panelists:

·       Ms. Riyanti Djalante, Head, Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance Division, Association of Southeast Asian Nations Secretariat (ASEAN)

·       Mr. Paki Ormsby, Director, Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS)

·       Ms. Gohar Barseghyan, Director, Integration Development, Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC)

·       Mr. Andrey Smorodin, Director, Greater Tumen Initiative Secretariat (GTI)

Discussants:

·       Mr. Josaia Tokoni, Fiji Council of Social Services

Mr. Aale Muhammad, Student, Chulalongkorn University

 

(b) Progress towards the achievement of Goals 6, 7, 9, 11 and 17 at the regional level

Rapporteur on the Roundtable Discussion on SDG 6
Mr. John Dore, Lead Water Specialist, Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia

Rapporteur on the Roundtable Discussion on SDG 7
Ms. Margalita Arabidze, Head of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Policy and Sustainable Development Department of Georgia

Rapporteur on the Roundtable Discussion on SDG 9
Ms. Aisha Humera Moriani, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Information Technology & Telecommunication Pakistan

Rapporteur on the Roundtable Discussion on SDG 11
Ms. Bernadia Tjandradewi, Secretary General, United Cities and Local Governments Asia-Pacific (UCLG ASPAC)  

Rapporteur on the Roundtable Discussion on SDG 17
Ms. Eva Abdulla, Deputy Speaker of the Parliament, Republic of Maldives

(c) Reporting on system-wide results of the United Nations at the regional level in Asia and the Pacific in support of the 2030 Agenda

·       Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP (in-person)

·       Ms. Kanni Wignaraja, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and UNDP Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific (video message)

AGENDA ITEM 6: Other Matters
17:15
18:30
Side Events

Please see the Events Tab for side event details or click here

30 Mar 2023
10:00
14:00
Side Events, Associated Events and SDG Acceleration Pavilion

Please see the Events Tab for associated events, side events and SDG Acceleration Pavilion details or click here

14:00
17:00
AGENDA ITEM 7: Adoption of the Report on the Tenth Forum

 Watch Live

Closing of the forum

                 Chair of the 10th APFSD

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

31 Mar 2023
09:00
17:00
Associated Events

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General

This document provides links to external and third-party website, for convenience of meeting participants, and for use at their discretion. ESCAP cannot vouch for the accuracy or correctness of the information contained therein. 

Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development is scheduled to be held in-person at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC), Bangkok on 27-30 March 2023. Virtual participation will be facilitated where necessary.  

Credentials

Each delegation is required to submit a letter of credentials, duly signed by the appropriate authority of the respective Government or organization, at the earliest convenience prior to 13 March 2023 to [email protected]. Only delegates who appear on the credentials will be recognized in the list of participants. Originals may be sent to the Office of the Executive Secretary at the address below. 

Office of the Executive Secretary   
Executive Office Suite 
United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) 
United Nations Building  
The Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) 
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue, Bangkok 10200, Thailand 

Each delegate who appears in the aforementioned letter of credentials is required to register online as soon as possible at the Indico Registration Link: https://indico.un.org/ 
event/1003108/. Only registration of accredited delegates will be accepted. 

Registration and identification badges

Online registration and identification badge 

In order to facilitate the registration process participants are REQUIRED to register online at https://indico.un.org/event/1003108/ well in advance, but no later than 13 March 2023, to facilitate smooth coordination of the issuance of photo badges as well as the compilation of the list of participants. 

Please note that prior online registration is mandatory in line with standard security procedures to facilitate security clearance and entrance to the premises.  

Participants who have registered online can obtain photo badges at the registration counter, located on the Ground Level, UNCC, from 08:00 to 11:00 and 13:00 to 15:00 hours during the Conference. 

Participants who are not able to register online during the times indicated above are requested to do so upon their arrival at UNCC in order to get meeting badges issued. Please also note that only the names of duly registered participants will be included in the list of participants. 

For identification and security reasons, all participants are REQUIRED to wear their meeting badges at all times while they are on the UN complex, which includes meetings and social functions. Loss of a meeting badge should be immediately communicated to the registration counter or the UN security, so that the incident can be recorded, and a new badge can be issued. 

Communications

Mail intended for participants during the session should be addressed as follows: 
(Name of delegate) 
c/o Ms. Juliet Braslow 
Sustainable Development Officer 
Office of the Executive Secretary  
ESCAP, United Nations Building 
Rajdamnern Nok Avenue 
Bangkok 10200 
Thailand 
E-mail: [email protected] with a copy to [email protected].  

Meeting documents

Considering the carbon footprint involved in producing papers and printing documents, it is strongly recommended to utilize soft copies at the maximum extent. If hard copies are needed, participants are requested to bring with them their own copies of the meeting documents distributed by the ESCAP secretariat to their Governments/Agencies/ 
Organizations prior to the session. Hard copy will only be made available upon request (print on demand service) and only one set per member State delegation. 

Documents for circulation or distribution at the session should be handed to Juliet Braslow, (email: [email protected]). 

In accordance with the UN regulations for the control and limitation of documentation, the secretariat cannot undertake to process and/or reproduce a document or a statement submitted by individual delegations, unless the Commission specifically takes a decision to that effect and approves the financial implications thereof. 

UNCC encourages sustainable meeting practices including the Paper-Smart Initiative. Meeting organizers are encouraged to use eco-friendly and innovative means to deliver information on their meetings including side events, instead of handing out hard copies of flyers, documents, newsletters, and/or other such materials.  

Daily subsistence allowance

 

Health and vaccination Health and vaccination

Upon arrival at the port of entry in Thailand, participants who are nationals of or have traveled from/through countries listed below, which have been declared Yellow Fever infected areas, must provide an International Health Certificate proving that they have received a valid Yellow Fever vaccination at the Health Control Office upon arrival before proceeding to immigration. A valid vaccination certificate means that the vaccine was administered at least 10 days prior to travel to the affected country. The International Health Certificate must also be submitted together with the visa application form.

The countries/areas listed below have been declared yellow fever infected areas (Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thailand dated 30 November 2022):

  1. Angola
  2. Argentina
  3. Benin
  4. Bolivia
  5. Brazil
  6. Burkina Faso
  7. Burundi
  8. Cameroon
  9. Central African Republic
  10. Chad
  11. Colombia
  12. Congo
  13. Republic of the Congo
  14. Cote d’Ivoire
  15. Ecuador
  16. Equatorial Guinea
  17. Ethiopia
  18. French Guiana
  19. Gabon
  20. Gambia
  21. Ghana
  22. Guinea
  23. Guinea-Bissau
  1. Guyana
  2. Kenya
  3. Liberia
  4. Mali
  5. Mauritania
  6. Niger
  7. Nigeria
  8. Panama
  9. Paraguay
  10. Peru
  11. Rwanda
  12. Sao Tome & Principe
  13. Senegal
  14. Sierra Leone
  15. Somalia
  16. Sudan
  17. Suriname
  18. Tanzania
  19. Togo
  20. Trinidad & Tobago
  21. Uganda
  22. Venezuela

Zika virus

Zika is endemic in Thailand and cases have been reported amongst tourists. All travelers are advised to protect themselves from mosquito bites while in Thailand. Given possible transmission of the disease to unborn babies, pregnant women should consider postponing travel to Thailand or talk to their doctor about the implications of traveling to Thailand during this time.

In addition to the above, Medical Services Division at UNHQs advises that pregnant UN personnel should not undertake duty travel or be relocated to countries/areas where local transmission of Zika virus is known to occur. Women who are seeking pregnancy should obtain individual advice from their medical practitioner on risk management regarding their plans to travel into a Zika-affected area. For further information, please refer to the Zika virus FAQ.

Information on other non-vaccine preventable diseases to watch out for while in Thailand can be found here: Thailand - Traveler view | Travelers' Health | CDC.

Air pollution and Health

Bangkok, like many metropolitan Asian cities in the world, is periodically affected by high levels of air pollution, with haze and high concentrations of PM2.5 particularly of concern for sensitive groups.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand advises tourists to monitor Bangkok’s air pollution and take precautions when necessary. People who have existing asthma or are particularly vulnerable to the effects of air pollution should consult their treating physician as to whether a trip to Bangkok is advisable at this time. Information on the Air pollution can be found Air4Thai website, maintained by the government of Thailand with daily information on air pollution.

Insurance and emergency medical service

Delegates are strongly encouraged to subscribe to a travel or health insurance which is valid in the Kingdom of Thailand, in order to cover any medical bills or hospitalization fees. In case of medical emergency, please call 1669. The nearest hospital to the UNCC is Bangkok Adventist (Mission) Hospital, which has English speaking medical support staff +662-282-1100.

When feeling unwell while in the UNCC: Anyone who feels unwell while already within the UNCC is advised to call any medical service staff at +66 2288 1352/1353/1761 during business hours, for further guidance. After business hours, they are advised to call the UN Medical Officer at +66 2288 1353 for further guidance. In case of a medical emergency within the UNCC, they are advised to call UN Security at +66 2288 1102/1120 for assistance in calling an ambulance.

Visa requirements Visa and entry requirements

Visa Requirements

Participants are REQUIRED to obtain an appropriate entry visa from the Royal Thai Embassy or the Royal Thai Consulate-General before entering Thailand, EXCEPT for those nationals listed at List of Countries entitled for Visa Exemption and Visa on Arrival.

Please note that participants holding UN Laissez-Passer (UNLP) travelling on official business to Thailand are also REQUIRED to obtain an appropriate visa before entering.

To apply for an appropriate entry visa to Thailand, participants are required to contact their nearest Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General for the most updated information regarding visa application procedures and required documents. The list of Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General can be found at https://www.thaiembassy.org.

Participants who wish to apply for a visa outside their country of residence or reside in a country where there is no Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate, should check with the meeting organizer for the location where it is possible for them to apply for a Thai visa. Please note that certain nationalities, for security reasons, are not allowed to apply for a visa except at the Royal Thai Embassy or Consulate-General which has jurisdiction over the concerned territory.

Participants who may need further assistance from ESCAP on their visa application should contact the meeting organizer, well in advance, for necessary action.

Participants who wish to apply for a visa on arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport or Don Muang International Airport should follow the below requirements:

  1. The applicant must possess a passport from the list of countries whose nationals are eligible to apply for visa on arrival (List of countries entitled for Visa on Arrival) with the validity of more than 30 days, at least one completely blank page, and be in possession of a valid return ticket with date of departure within 15 days of the date of entry.
  2. The applicant must fill out an application form, which is available at the Visa-on-Arrival counter at the airport, supply one recent passport-sized photograph and a fee of Thai Baht (THB) 2,000.
  3. QR code for online application is available at Visa On Arrival (immigration.go.th). Upon presentation of printed Transaction Reference Number, the applicant could obtain the visa at the Visa-on-Arrival counter at the airport before proceeding for immigration procedures.
  4. The applicant must provide proof of means of living expenses at the amount of THB 10,000 per person or THB 20,000 per family.

NOTE: The information provided above is accurate as of October 2022.

Entry Requirements (as of 1 March 2023)

Thai Department of Disease Control (DDC), Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) issued “Public Health Measures for Foreign Travellers Entering Thailand”, which is effective from 1 March 2023 until further notice, as per the following:

  • Proof of vaccination is No longer required.
  • Proof of health insurance is No longer required.
  • Any passenger having symptoms of COVID-19 on arrival shall be recommended to get COVID-19/RT-PCR test at arrival.

For more information, travelers can contact the DDC Hotline 1422.

Travel Advisory Travel Advisory

Visitors are advised to be respectful of Thai customs at all times. Please note that Thailand has laws against making negative comments about the institution of the monarchy. Such laws are strictly enforced and are applicable to spoken, written, gestures and electronic communication, including social media.

Souvenir shop Souvenir shop

The souvenir shop is located on Level 1 of UNCC. It is open from 09:00 to 16:00 hours, Monday through Friday. The shop can be contacted at +66 2288 1295.

Safety and Security Safety and Security

For security and safety reasons, participants are reminded NOT to leave their belongings unattended. Belongings left unattended within the UNCC may be removed to the nearest Lost and Found counter or the Security Operations Centre.

All drone unmanned aircrafts are prohibited from flying over the UNCC as per the security requirements.

All occupants of the UNCC MUST comply at all times with all lawful directions given by the officers of the United Nations Security and Safety Section. Failure to do so may lead to the participant’s removal from the UNCC.

Contact numbers:

UN Security
Security Control Centre (24/7): +66.2.2881102
UN Security Emergency Number: +66.2.2881100
Mobile +66.81.8078471

Thailand Emergency Numbers:
Police general emergency call: 191
Fire: 199
Ambulance and rescue: 1669/1554
Tourism Police: 1155

Zero Tolerance towards harassment

The United Nations has a zero-tolerance policy for any form of harassment, including sexual harassment, and will deal with such complaints promptly. Please refer to the United Nations Code of Conduct and report any incident to the Security and Safety Section either in person or by phone at +66 2288 1102.

Security protocols for UN personnel

In line with security procedures for UN staff, travel notification through the Travel Request Information Process (TRIP) is required prior to any official travel. Upon notification of travel on TRIP, UN staff members will automatically receive an updated security advice for UN visitors to Thailand. Please visit https://dss.un.org to apply for this travel notification.

In addition, the UN Department of Safety and Security requires all UN personnel, including interns and consultants, to complete the mandatory BSAFE Security Awareness Training These security certifications are required to be completed, prior to having commenced official travel.

Prayer and meditation rooms Prayer and meditation rooms

Prayer and meditation rooms are located near CR2 on Level 2, UNCC.

Postal services Postal services

Postal services are available at the United Nations branch of Thailand Post, located on the Ground Level of UNCC. It is open from 08:00 to 16:00 hours, Monday through Friday. The office can be contacted at extension 2911.

Lost and Found Lost and Found

Please contact the Security Operations Centre, either in person or by phone at +66.2.2881102.

Airline reservations Airline reservations

Many international airlines operate regular services to and from Bangkok. Participants are advised to secure their return bookings prior to their departure for Bangkok. If this is not possible, they should make firm return bookings immediately upon arrival in Bangkok. Travel services are available through the American Express Global Business Travel (AMEX-GBT) office located on Level 1, UNCC.

Library facilities Library facilities

ESCAP Library facilities are available on Level 1, Service Building from 08:00 to 16:00 hours, Monday through Friday. For details on the use of the ESCAP Library facilities, please consult the staff on duty or call extensions 1329 and 1360. Further information about the ESCAP Library can be found on its website at http://www.unescap.org/library.

Internet services Internet services

Free wireless internet access is available in all conference and meeting rooms and in the public areas of the UNCC. Please use UN-WiFi, no password is required. Use of internet at UNCC is governed by relevant Organizational policies and guidelines. Failure to adhere to policies may result in revoking of those services.

Hotel accommodation Hotel accommodation

Hotels, located relatively close to ESCAP or by mass-transit routes, may be used by participants, should they choose to. The selection of hotels at a walking distance from the UNCC is encouraged to reduce participants’ local travel emissions and their exposure to traffic. Click here for a list of hotels, with indicative prices.

NOTE: ESCAP cannot vouch for accuracy of the information or rates contained in the document. The list is meant purely for reference and for ease of participants. The special discount rates provided are subject to change without notice. Please confirm the room rates with the hotel directly.

Participants are responsible for booking their own rooms and are requested to contact the hotel well in advance. Any cancellations, postponements or other changes should be reported to the hotel. Rooms not occupied may be charged to the participants as per the hotel’s policies.

Before departure from Bangkok, participants should settle directly with the respective hotels all accounts, including room charges and other expenses, such as for local and long-distance telephone calls, Internet usage, business center usage, laundry, room and hotel transportation services, mini-bar items, as well as restaurant and bar services. Participants are also responsible for any charges incurred with respect to rooms remaining vacant owing to late arrival or rescheduled departure for which inadequate prior notice is given.

Foreign currency declaration Foreign currency declaration

Any person who brings or takes an aggregate amount of foreign currency exceeding USD 20,000 or its equivalent into or out of the Kingdom of Thailand shall declare such amount of foreign currency to a Customs Official. Failure to make such a declaration or making any false declaration to a Customs official is a criminal offence.

For reference, participants may use – at their discretion – online currency conversion tool, such as https://freecurrencyrates.com for indicative currency conversion rates.

Floor plans UNCC Floor plans

The UNCC floor plans are available at https://www.unescap.org/uncc/our-rooms. The UN buildings are smoke-free. Smoking is permitted only in the designated areas outside of the buildings and in the UNCC, the designated smoking area is outside of the Public Foyer.

Financial & administrative arrangements Financial & administrative arrangements

In those cases where the participation costs are borne by the ESCAP Secretariat, the Secretariat will provide only travel and DSA as expressed and will not assume responsibility for any other expenditure, including the following:

  1. All expenses in the home country incidental to travel abroad, including expenditure for visa, medical examination, inoculations and other such miscellaneous items and internal travel to and from the airport of arrival and departure in the home country;
  2. Salary and related allowances for the participants during the period of the meeting;
  3. Costs incurred by participants in respect of travel insurance, accident insurance, medical bills or hospitalization fees in connection with attending the meeting;
  4. Compensation in the event of death or disability of participants in connection with attending the meeting;
  5. Any loss of or damage to personal property of participants while attending the meeting or losses or damages claimed by third parties as a result of any negligence on the part of the participants;
  6. Any other expenses of a personal nature, not directly related to the purpose of the meeting.
Catering services Catering services

Operating hours

Catering services are available at the following locations:

  • International Cafeteria (Level 1, UNCC), which serves breakfast from 7.30 to 10.00 hours, and Thai, Halal and International menus for lunch from 11:00 to 14:00 hours on Monday through Friday.
  • Coffee Corner (Level 1, UNCC), which serves assortment of bakery pastries and beverages, is open from 07:00 to 17:00 hours on Monday through Friday.
  • Rajapruek Lounge (Ground Level, UNCC), which serves light meals and beverages, is open from 07:00 to 17:00 hours on Monday through Friday.

In line with the Sustainable United Nations (SUN) and Environmental Management System (EMS} principles, no single use plastic is available in the UNCC. Single-use food and drink containers have been banned within the UN compound in Bangkok. When purchasing coffee/tea at the Coffee Corner, meeting participants will be asked to pay a deposit of THB 100 for a cup, which will be returned upon return of the cup.

Dining venues at the UNCC also do not provide food storage boxes, plastic cutlery or straws for take-away orders. Diners wishing to take food away are advised to bring their own reusable food containers.

Banking facilities Banking facilities

Banking services are available at the Siam Commercial Bank, United Nations Branch, located on Level 1 of the Service Building, from 08:30 to 15:30 hours during weekdays. (telephone extension 2168).

Siam Commercial Bank ATMs can be found near the registration desk, on the Ground Level of UNCC, and near its UN Branch office, noted above.

Click on the flags or names to download the statements.

Agenda Item 5(b): Progress towards the achievement of Goals 6, 7, 9, 11 and 17 at the regional level
Agenda Item 5(c): Reporting on system-wide results of the United Nations at the regional level in Asia and the Pacific in support of the 2030 Agenda
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana
Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana
Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Executive Secretary of ESCAP
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Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana was appointed Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) on 13 September 2018.

Prior to joining ESCAP, Ms. Alisjahbana was Professor of Economics at Universitas Padjadjaran in Bandung, Indonesia, a position she assumed in 2005. She joined Universitas Padjadjaran as a lecturer in 1988. Since 2016, she has served as Director for the Center for Sustainable Development Goals Studies at Universitas Padjadjaran and Vice Chair of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences.

She also serves on the Governing Board of the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA), and member of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences (Akademi Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia - AIPI), the Forum of Statistics Community (Forum Masyarakat Statistik or Advisory Council of the Indonesian Statistics), the International Advisory Board of the Bulletin of Indonesian Economic Studies and Council Member of the Regional Science Association International (RSAI).

From 2009 to 2014, she was Minister of National Development Planning and the Head of the National Development Planning Agency (BAPPENAS), Indonesia. She served as Co-chair of the Global Partnership for Effective Development Cooperation from 2012 to 2014. From 2009 to 2014, she was Alternate Governor of the World Bank and Alternate Governor of the Asian Development Bank representing the government of Indonesia. In 2016, she was a member of the High Level Independent Team of Advisors to support the ECOSOC Dialogue on the longer term positioning of the United Nations Development System in the context of the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development.

Ms. Alisjahbana has been involved in various research projects and consultancies to the United Nations University/Institute for Advanced Study in Tokyo, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia, the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID), the European Commission, and the International Labor Organization (ILO).

Ms. Alisjahbana earned her Bachelor degree in Economics and Development Studies from Universitas Indonesia, Indonesia, a Masters degree in Economics from Northwestern University, USA and a Ph.D in Economics from University of Washington, USA. She was awarded the Mahaputra Adipradana Order (Bintang Mahaputra Adipradana) from the Republic of Indonesia, honorary brevet from the Indonesian Navy and honorary flight wing from the Indonesian Air Force.

Amina J. Mohammed, UN Deputy Secretary-General
Amina J. Mohammed
UN Deputy Secretary-General
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Ms. Amina J. Mohammed is the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. Prior she was Minister of Environment of the Federal Republic in Nigeria and Special Adviser to Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. She also served as Special Adviser on the Millennium Development Goals, as well as international advisory boards, one of them being the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Post-2015 Development Agenda. Also, she is an Adjunct Professor in Development Practice at Columbia University.

Mr. Li Junhua
Mr. Li Junhua
USG DESA
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As Under-Secretary-General, Mr. Li guides the UN Secretariat’s support for the follow-up processes of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development. He also oversees the substantive services to many intergovernmental processes. In addition, Mr. Li oversees UN DESA’s policy analysis and capacity development work and also serves as the Convenor of the Executive Committee on Economic and Social Affairs. He also advises the UN Secretary-General on all development-related issues, including climate change, internet governance, and financing for development.

Before joining the Department, he was the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Italy and San Marino. Prior to this, he was Director General of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China (2013-2019).

Mr. Li began his career at the Foreign Affairs Ministry in 1985.  Since then, he has served in various capacities, including as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Myanmar (2010-2012), Deputy Director General of the Department of International Organizations and Conferences (2008-2010), Minister Counselor (Political), Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nations (2003-2008), Division Director and Counselor in charge of UN General Assembly and Security Council Affairs (2001-2003), Second and First Secretary, Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China to the United Nation (1997-2001). Third and Second Secretary, the Department of International Organizations and Conferences (1992-1997) and Assistant to the Permanent Representative, Permanent Mission of China to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok (1986-1992).

Mr. Li has a Master’s in International Public Policy, School of Advanced International Studies, John Hopkins University.  He speaks Chinese and English.

H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai
H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand
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H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai was appointed as the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand in 2015. Since August 2020, he assumes another concurrent position as the Deputy Prime Minister. He joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in 1974. A career diplomat for his entire working life, he served as Thailand’s Ambassador to Switzerland, Holy See and Liechtenstein (1994-1999); China, North Korea and Mongolia (2000-2004); the EU, Belgium, and Luxembourg (2004-2007); the UN, New York (2007-2009); and the US (2009). He is an alumnus of UCLA and the Fletcher School at Tufts University. He practices Muay Thai in his free time.

H.E. Mr. Mohamed Aslam
H.E. Mr. Mohamed Aslam
Minister Ministry of National Planning, Housing and Infrastructure Male, Maldives
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Fidelis Manuel Leite Magalhães
H.E. Mr. Fidelis Leite Magalhães, East Timor
Minister of Presidency of Council of Ministers
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His Excellency Mr. Fidelis Leite Magalhães is the incumbent President of the Council of Ministers, serving since May 2020 in the VIII Constitutional Government of East Timor.

Previously, from 2018 to 2020, he was Minister for Legislative Reform and Parliamentary Affairs in the same government, and, from July 2019, also acting Coordinating Minister of Economic Affairs and acting Minister of Tourism, Trade and Industry.

H.E. Hon. Madame Tanzila Narbaeva
H.E. Hon. Madame Tanzila Narbaeva
Chairperson of the Senate of the Oliy Majlis Republic of Uzbekistan
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Her Excellency Madame Tanzila Narbaeva has served as Chairperson of the Senate of Uzbekistan since 2019. She previously served as the Deputy Prime Minister from 2016 to 2019, and was the Chairperson of the Women's Committee from 2016 to 2019.

Mme. Zhang Haidi
H.E Zhang Haidi
Chairperson of China Disabled Persons’ Federation
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Mme. Zhang Haidi is Chairperson of China Disabled Persons’ Federation. Haidi was honored as “Asia-Pacific Champions of Disability Rights” by the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in 2012.

Haidi is committed to improving the livelihood of persons with disabilities and protecting their human rights in China. She was elected in 2008 and reelected in 2013 and 2018 as the Chairperson of China Disabled Persons’ Federation, a national unified organization for 85 million persons with disabilities in China. With a strong sense of mission and commitment to advance the well-being of persons with disabilities in China, she actively advocates the establishment of a sustainable mechanism for the development of work for persons with disabilities in China. She devotes much of her time to investigating their situation in schools, communities, villages, families, and disaster-struck areas, and tasks part in advocacy activities to promote the work in regard to rehabilitation, education, employment, and poverty alleviation for persons with disabilities. And she takes special attention to the issues of women and children with disabilities.

Haidi is President of Rehabilitation International since 2016, an organization with a global network of members covering five continents. She believes that international cooperation and exchanges can facilitate the sharing of best practices on disability and advance the promotion and protection of the human rights of all persons with disabilities worldwide. She attaches great importance and dedicates herself to the implementation of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities and other UN documents on disability in China and beyond.

 

In 1993, Haidi obtained master degree in philosophy at Jilin University. She was awarded honorary doctorates by University of York and University of Massachusetts Boston in 2013 and 2015 respectively.

Theng
H.E. Mr. Pagnathun Theng
Delegate to the Royal Government of Cambodia, Ministry of Planning, Cambodia
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H.E. Mr. Pagnathun Theng holds the position of the Delegate of the Royal Government of Cambodia in charge of Director General of Planning with ranking of Secretary of State. He also serves different roles in the Government, including as the Permanent Vice-Chair of National Working Group on Monitoring and Evaluation of National Strategic Development Plan implementation (NGWM&E), the Permanent Vice-Chair of the National Poverty Measuring in Cambodia, and a member and Permanent Secretary of Task Force for Managing the Process Harmonizing of Planning, Public Investment Expenditure, and Cooperation Financing. 

Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary
H.E. Mr. Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary
Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Pakistan
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Ahsan Iqbal Chaudhary (Urdu: احسن اقبال چوہدری; born 28 March 1959) is a Pakistani engineer and politician who is serving as the Secretary General of Pakistan Muslim League (N). He is a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since August 2018. Previously, he was a member of the National Assembly from 1993 to 1999 and from 2008 to May 2018.

He served as Minister for Interior and Minister for Planning, Development and Reforms in the Abbasi cabinet from 2017 to May 2018. A leader of the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), he served as the Minister of Planning and Development of Pakistan and the Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission of Pakistan in the third Sharif's ministry and briefly held the portfolio of Minister of Minorities and Minister of Education of Pakistan in the Gillani ministry in 2008. He served as the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission of Pakistan from 1998 to 1999 during the Sharif's second ministry. He currently serves as federal minister for planning and development since 19 April 2022.

Abdikarimov Abzal Alievich
H.E. Mr. Abdikarimov Abzal Alievich
Vice-Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan
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H.E. Abdikarimov Abzal Alievich is the Vice-Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. From January 2022 he has served as the Deputy Minister of National Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Prior to this Mr. Abdikarimov Abzal Alievich was the head of the antitrust department of Nur-Sultan under the antitrust committee of the Ministry of national economy of Kazakhstan. He has expertise in the following areas of work: macroeconomic development of the country, project management, regulation of natural monopolies, and international economic cooperation.

Hon. Shehan Asanka Semasinghe
Hon. Shehan Asanka Semasinghe
State Minister of Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies Sri Lanka
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Hon. Shehan Semasinghe is the State Minister of Finance. During the previous government, he held the positions of Minister of Trade and Samurdhi Development as well as the State Minister of Samurdhi, Household Economy, Micro Finance, Self-Employment, Business Development, and State Minister of Development Banks and Loans. He has been a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka from Anuradhapura district since 2010. After receiving his degree from Delhi University, he pursued his MBA at the University of Peradeniya in Sri Lanka. Currently, he serves in the Public Finance Committee and the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Finance, Economic Stabilization and National Policies.

Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha
Hon. Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha
Vice-Chairman of National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal
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Dr. Min Bahadur Shrestha is the Vice-Chairman of National Planning Commission, Government of Nepal. Previously, he held the same position from September 4, 2016 to August 3, 2017. Prior to his appointment i n September 2016, he served as the Executive Director of Nepal Rastra Bank, the central bank of Nepal, for six years heading research and public debt management departments. During his central bank career of 28 years, he mainly worked in the area of economic research, policy analysis, training and strategy formulation. Representing Nepal Rastra Bank, he worked as the board member of several institutions including Credit Information Centre, Nepal Stock Exchange Limited, Securities Board of Nepal and National Banking Institute.

Dr. Shrestha has also served as the Senior Economist for 3 years and the Visiting Research Economist for one year at the South East Asian Central Banks Research and Training Centre based in Kuala Lumpur. He also worked as the member of Nepal country economist team for the US Millennium Challenge Corporation’s growth constraint analysis of Nepal. He has led and conducted a number of research projects on central bank policies, financial economics and economic development. He has presented papers and worked as the resource speaker at several international seminars, workshops and conferences.

Dr. Shrestha holds a Ph.D. in Economics from University of Wollongong, Australia. He has obtained Master’s degree in Public Administration as well as in Political Science from Tribhuvan University, Nepal and an MBA from Hult International Business School, United Kingdom. He has published 7 books and a significant number of research papers in peer-reviewed international journals on financial liberalization, capital flows, monetary policy, welfare, international migration, time series econometrics and financial inclusion.

Mr. Um
Mr. Woochong Um
Managing Director General, ADB
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Woochong Um is ADB’s Managing Director General. He assumed the position on 22 February 2021.

Mr. Um is responsible for ensuring bank-wide coherence on key initiatives and issues. He provides oversight to the Department of Communications, the Office of Professional Conduct, and the Office of the Ombudsperson.

Mr. Um joined ADB in 1993. Since June 2018, he served as Director General and concurrently Chief Compliance Officer of ADB’s Sustainable Development and Climate Change Department. In this role he led ADB-wide knowledge management and innovation work in all thematic and sector operation areas; established ADB-wide sector and thematic policies and strategies; and ensured compliance with ADB’s environment and social safeguards policies. Mr. Um also oversaw the administration of trust funds and global funding initiatives and served as ADB’s focal point for COVID-19 response.

Balchinluvsan Lkhagvasuren
Mr. Balchinluvsan Lkhagvasuren
Director of Integrated Development Policy Department, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia
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Mr. Balchinluvsan Lkhagvasuren, Director Genereal of the Integrated Development Policy Department, has experiences in public administration as well as in the mining and economic sector.

During 15 years of his career, he served as a Specialist of Ministry of Education and Culture (2009-2010), Director of Munkhud Tsakhiur LLC (2010-2017), Specialist of the Mineral resource and petroleum authority (2017-2019), Advisor to the Standing Committee on Budget (2022), Advisor to the minister of economy and development (2022)

He has now been serving as a Director Genereal of the Integrated Development Policy Department since 2022.

Mr. Balchinluvsan Lkhagasuren graduated from the Curtin University, Australia, with a degree in Master of Business administration.

Ms. Gita Sabharwal
Ms. Gita Sabharwal
UN Resident Coordinator Thailand
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Ms. Gita Sabharwal was appointed as the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Thailand on 15 March 2020. As the UN Resident Coordinator, she leads 21 UN agencies under the UN Country Team to deliver the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) to advance the Sustainable Development Goals in coordination with the government, private sector, civil society and young people.

Ms. Sabharwal has close to three decades of development experience working across multiple country contexts in Asia. Her work has focused specifically on peacebuilding, governance and social policy, while generating and applying empirical and big data analysis to deal with emerging development challenges. Preceding her appointment to Thailand, Ms. Sabharwal was the Peacebuilding and Development Advisor at the United Nations in Sri Lanka, for nearly seven years.

Prior to joining the United Nations, Ms. Sabharwal was The Asia Foundation’s Deputy Country Representative for Maldives and Sri Lanka and has held positions as the Poverty and Policy Advisor for the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development (DFID) in India and Viet Nam.

Ms. Sabharwal holds a Master’s Degree in Development Management from the University of Wales, UK.

Mr. Tapan Mishra
Mr. Tapan Mishra
UN Resident Coordinator for Mongolia
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Mr. Tapan Mishra assumed his role as the United Nations Resident Coordinator (UN RC) for Mongolia in September 2019. As UN RC, the highest-ranking representative of the United Nations Development System in Mongolia, he has been designated by the UN Secretary General to lead the UN Country Team in coordinating operational activities for development in the country. Before this post in Mongolia, Mr. Mishra served as UN RC in DPR Korea from 2015 to 2019. 

Ms. El Korri
Ms. Karima El Korri
UN Resident Coordinator in Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore
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Ms. Karima El Korri is the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.

Ms. El Korri has more than 20 years of international development experience, acquired at the United Nations and externally.  She has led the 2030 Agenda Division at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), a role she assumed after managing the population and development portfolio — pioneering the work of the Commission on International Migration — population ageing and youth empowerment.  She was previously a regional adviser on governance and project coordinator at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

Before joining the United Nations, Ms. El Korri was a lecturer at Al-Akhawayn University in Morocco.  She also worked with a think tank engaging with the Government, civil society, the private sector, academia, youth and international organizations on the country’s development issues.

Ms. El Korri holds a master’s degree in applied linguistics from Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York, United States, and a bachelor’s degree in English from Mohammed V University in Rabat, Morocco.

Giorgio Gamba
Mr. Giorgio Gamba
CEO HSBC Thailand
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Mr. Gamba was appointed the HSBC chief for Thai operations in September 2021. Mr. Gamba joined HSBC in 2001 and has worked across wealth and personal banking, risk and global banking in Hong Kong, India, South Korea and the UK. Most recently, he led the bank's Asia-Pacific public.
 

Ms. Lajana Manandhar
Ms. Lajana Manandhar
Coordinator, Asian Coalition for Housing Rights (ACHR) and Executive Director, Lumanti Support Group for Shelter
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Dima
Ms. Dima Al-Khatib
Director of the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC)
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Dima Al-Khatib is a Sustainable Development Professional and brings more than 25 years of leadership and management experience in several duty stations. For the past four years, Dima has been serving as the UNDP Resident Representative in the Republic of Moldova. Prior to that, she held several positions including that of Programme and Policy Coordinator at the UNDP Regional Hub in Amman, UNDP Deputy Resident Representative in Kuwait, and UNDP Deputy Country Director in Libya.

In addition to her country office and regional experiences, Dima has worked in UNDP Headquarters in New York, holding the positions of Regional Programme Advisor with the Regional Bureau for Arab States, Human Resources Manager with the Talent Management Group of the Office of Human Resources, and Sustainable Energy Specialist with the Bureau for Development Policy. Dima has also worked with UNICEF Lebanon and the Ministry of Public Health in the United Arab Emirates before joining UNDP Lebanon in 1995 as Environment Programme Manager.

Dima holds a Diplome d’Etudes Approfondies (DEA) in Environmental Health from the Lebanese University and France University of Bordeaux II, and a Bachelor of Science and a Teaching Diploma in Environmental Health from the American University of Beirut.

Ajay
Mr. Ajay Kumar Jha
Director of CECOEDECON (Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultants Society), India
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Ajay K Jha is the Director of CECOEDECON, (Centre for Community Economics and Development Consultants Society) in India. He also heads PAIRVI (Public Advocacy Initiatives for Rights & Values in India) and coordinates MAUSAM (Movement for Advancing Understanding on Sustainability and Mutuality) a pan Indian collective on climate and environmental justice working with other campaigns, social movements on issues of sustainable development and state accountability. He is the Co-Chair of the Major Groups and other Stakeholders Coordination Mechanism on the HLPF/SDGs, a global platform of all the ECOSOC Consultative status organizations working with the UN on advancing the SDGs. He is also elected Regional Facilitator for UNEP in Asia and the Pacific and the Focal Point of the Environment Working Group of the Asia Pacific Regional CSOs Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM) a platform of more than 600 CSOs and Peoples movements all over Asia and the Pacific. Besides, he has been a member of the Board of Conveners of Asia Pacific Research Network. A lawyer by education and training, he has more than two decades experience of working on the intersections of development, rights and sustainability.

Kai
Mx. Kai Ra Cabaron
Public Information Officer, KADAMAY
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Kai Ra Cabaron is the Public Information Officer of KADAMAY.  At a young age, they were a member of a progressive Children’s Collective under the group Salinlahi. They learned how to integrate with marginalized classes such as workers and urban poor and how they relate to the overall struggle for national liberation. They were also a partner for Asia Pacific Forum on Women, Law and Development's (APWLD) Feminists Participatory Action Program for Climate Justice.

As a part of Kadamay, they continue to organize people against demolition and eviction of urban poor communities in the Philippines. Kadamay is at the forefront of the urban poor’s fight for their right to the city and carry out a long-term struggle for the eradication of poverty and for a just, free, and prosperous society.

Mr. Farhod Vosidiyon
Mr. Farhod Vosidiyon
Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, Republic of Tajikistan
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Mr. Farhod Vosidiyon is a Deputy Minister at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade of the Republic of Tajikistan with 16 years of experience. During his career at the Ministry, he holds different positions and was involved in different directions as, social sector development, economic reforms, science – technology and innovation development, and macroeconomic forecasting Currently, as a Deputy Minister, Mr. Vosidiyon coordinates macroeconomic analyses, forecasting and economic reforms as well as legal provision directions.

Ms. Nasibakhon Aminova
Ms. Nasibakhon Aminova
Executive Director, National Association of Small and Medium Businesses of Tajikistan
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Executive Director of the National Association of Small and Medium Business of Tajikistan (NASMB RT) - leads the Association since 2013.

Association actively participates in public and political life of the country. In particular, NASMB RT contributed to the development and implementation of major legislative initiatives aimed at improving business environment and development of businesses in the Republic of Tajikistan.

Nasibakhon Aminova is a member of inter-ministerial Working Groups under the National Development Council, and currently participates in the Tajikistan’s Working group on drafting second VNR on the behalf of the private sector.

Since 2018, Nasibakhon Aminova is the Ambassador for Women’s Entrepreneurship Day in Tajikistan (WED) (https://www.womenseday.org/team_member/nasibakhon-aminova/).

Being a lawyer, she considers herself an altruist. Social and travel blogger. The compiler and co-author of the almanac for women “Durri Marjon / The Beads”, which collected personal stories of Tajik women. Mom of two sons. The author of the project of the online and offline community for parents TajikMama.tj and has a platform with more than 42 thousand subscribers in the Facebook.

Margalita Arabidze
Ms.Margalita Arabidze
Head of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Policy and Sustainable Development Department Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia
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Margalita Arabidze is Head of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Policy and Sustainable Development Department at Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development (MoESD) and associate professor at Georgian Technical University with more than 20  years of experience working in the energy sector. Together with her department she is currently working on EE and RE secondary legislation, National Energy Policy, Integrated National Energy and Climate Plan 2021-2030 (NECP), SDG 7  and on other important issues. Beside that, she has very close cooperation with local and international donors, investors, IFIs and international organizations. She is focal person for Georgia in IRENA, EnC (Chair of RE Coordination Group), UNECE (vice-chair of  EE, RE Working Group), IAEA and other. During previous years she worked on different positions at MoESD, Ministry of Energy and GTU. With supervision of her department important laws and action plans were developed and adopted in late 2019 and mid-2020, such as RE, EE and EPB laws, also NREAP and NEEAP for 2019-2020. Ms. Arabidze is author for a number of publications and textbooks on issues such as, energy complexes, energy efficiency, renewable energy and climate change in the energy sector.

Mr. Otabek Izatillaev
Mr. Otabek Izatillaev
Head of the Department of work with ratings and indices, Executive Secretary of the Parliamentary Commission for monitoring the implementation of the national goals and objectives in the field of sustainable development of the Republic of Uzbekistan
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Mr. Otabek Izatillaev is the Head of department for work with international ratings and indices; Executive Secretary of the Parliamentary Commission for monitoring the implementation of national goals and objectives in the field of sustainable development of the Republic of Uzbekistan for the period up to 2030 at the Senate of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan. He is responsible for analysis and development of strategic objectives to improve the position of the Republic of Uzbekistan in international rankings; assistance in the implementation of parliamentary control over the implementation of the SDGs, monitoring and evaluation of the progress in the implementation of national goals and objectives in the field of sustainable development

Previously, Mr. Otabek Izatillaev was the Chief Consultant of the Control and Analytical Department where he analyzed the activities of the upper house of parliament and developed strategic tasks and directions of its activities.  

Karin Fernando
Ms. Karin Fernando
Senior Research Professional, Centre for Poverty Analysis, Sri Lanka
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Karin Fernando MA, Brandies) is a Senior Research Professional at the Centre for Poverty Analysis (CEPA), Sri Lanka. With over 15 years of experience in the development sector with various stakeholders, Karin has in-depth knowledge and expertise in poverty, Sustainable Development, Natural Resource Management, Monitoring and Evaluation. At CEPA, she designed and heads the Sustainable Development Thematic portfolio but has also led and managed multiple research and consultancy projects covering topics related to the labor, education, health, fisheries, infrastructure, and resettlement.  

Ms. Urantsooj Gombosuren
Ms. Urantsooj Gombosuren
Centre for Human Rights and Development, Mongolia
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Ms. Urantsooj Gombosuren graduated from Odessa University with a bachelor degree in microbiology in 1977, in 1987 she received PhD at the Institute of Microbiology and Virology in Kiev, Ukraine and in 2002 she received a master's degree in human rights law at the University of Hong Kong. Until 1994, she worked as researcher and head of the laboratory at the Institute of General and Experimental Biology, at the Institute of Biotechnology of the Mongolian Academy of Sciences, and director of research at the "Shim" Research and Production Company Ltd. In 1996, she joined the Women's Information and Research Center and started working for development and strength of civil society in Mongolia. In 1998, she founded the Center for Human Rights and Development (CHRD) together with her colleagues, and has been working in this organization since 2000. CHRD works for protecting and securing the right of low-income people and herders in urban and rural areas and closely cooperates with national and international civil society organizations.

 Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi
Dr. Bernadia Irawati Tjandradewi
Secretary General, United Cities and Local Governments Asia Pacific (UCLG ASPAC)
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Dr. Bernadia is the first woman Secretary General of the UCLG’s regional section. She has been working in urban development and related fields for more than 15 years. She was selected as one of prominent women whose work makes impacts in Asia Pacific in 2018 by GovInsider Asia. Her interests are on strategic urban planning, climate change, disaster management, water management, women empowerment, and local governance. Dr. Bernadia received her PhD in urban engineering from the University of Tokyo, and two master’s degrees in Atmospheric Physic from Nagoya University, Japan and in Public Policy from National University of Singapore.

Dr. Huraini Hurairah
Dr. Huraini Hurairah
Director of Wawasan Brunei Office, Prime Minister's Office, Head of Secretariat for th Special National Coordinating Committee on Sustainable Development Goals
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Ms. Villaney Remengesau
Ms. Villaney Remengesau
Co-chair of the Pacific Disability Forum, Palau
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Mr. Jaime C. Montoya
Mr. Jaime C. Montoya
Professor, University of the Philippines College of MedicinePresident, National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines 
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Highly trained and multi-awarded Infectious Disease Specialist with M.Sc. and Diploma in Clinical Tropical Medicine from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London, U.K. and certified by both the Royal College of Physicians, London, U.K. and the Philippine Board of Internal Medicine and the Philippine Board of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases ,MSc in Bioethics from the University of the Philippines Manila College of Medicine and PhD in Medicine from the Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan. He is a Fellow of the Philippine College of Physicians, Fellow of the Philippine Society of Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Fellow of the American College of Physicians and Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians, Thailand. He is currently Professor at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine, Chair of the Health Sciences Division and Secretary, National Academy of Science and Technology and the Executive Director of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development, Department of Science and Technology. He is currently also the President of the Philippine Association for the Advancement of Science and Technology (PhilAAST). He is also currently a member of the Board of Advisers of the ASEAN Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation.

Prim Rajasurang Wongkrasaemongkol
Ms. Prim Rajasurang Wongkrasaemongkol
YPEER Asia Pacific, Thailand Representative
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Prim Rajasurang Wongkrasaemongkol is a 16-year-old youth advocate and Thailand Representative in YPEER Asia Pacific.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she was one of the researchers in the AI Mask Project, which used AI to detect mask-wearing behavior in public spaces. This data was reported through CCSA by the Thai government to increase mask-wearing and decrease the infection rate of COVID-19.

She is the founder of the Child Teach Child program, which engages youth participation in the community to empower marginalized children through quality education and socio-economic development.

She is actively contributing to many projects in the society, engaging youth participation and innovations to accelerate the recovery of the pandemic.

Ms. Aisha Humera Chaudhary
Ms. Aisha Humera Chaudhary
Additional Secretary, Government of Pakistan, Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication
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Ms. Aisha Humera Chaudhary is a career Civil Servant from the Secretariat Group. During her 28 years of service, Ms. Aisha Humera Chaudhary has worked on various key positions in Federal Government including Joint Secretary (WTO), Ministry of Commerce, dealing with trade matters with United States, European Union, Central Asia Regions, Africa and Middle East. Economic Counsellor, Pakistan Mission to the WTO, Geneva. She played an instrumental role in the implementation of E-Commerce Policy of Pakistan and successfully negotiated Pakistani sellers access to Amazon market place. She joined the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication on 18th April 2022 as Additional Secretary.

 

Ms. Aisha Humera Chaudhary holds degrees of Executive Masters International Negotiation & Policy Making from Graduate Institute Geneva Executive Education, Mastering Trade Policy from Harvard University, USA and M.Sc – Development Management from London School of Economics, UK.

john dore
Dr. John Dore
Lead Water Specialist for Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT)
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Dr. John Dore is DFAT’s Lead Water Specialist and also Lead Advisor for Mekong Australia Partnership elements concerned with water security, energy transition and climate action. John works primarily across Asia and is involved in many of Australia’s bilateral and regional engagements including government-to-government partnerships and alliances with industry and civil society.  John is also an Honorary Associate Professor at Australian National University, serves on the editorial board of the Water Alternatives journal, and is an associate of the University of Canberra's Institute for Governance and Policy Analysis - Centre for Deliberative Democracy and Global Governance.  B Agr Sc (Melbourne), M Env Mgt & Dev (ANU), PhD (ANU).

Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS)
Mr. Josaia Tokoni
Knowledge Management Officer, Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS)
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Josaia is the Knowledge Management Officer at the Fiji Council of Social Services (FCOSS) based in Suva. Josaia is a passionate youth leader who has worked on diverse advocacies including; good governance, democracy, human rights, rule of law, climate change, disaster risk reduction and gender among others. 

At the regional level, Josaia is the Governance Technical Advisory Group (TAG) for the Pacific Youth Council and an active member of the Pacific Youth Forum Against Corruption, Pacific Climate Warriors and the Youth Core Group on Atrocity Prevention.

To complement the plenary programme, the 10 APFSD features:  

  • Launch of the 2023 Asia-Pacific SDG Partnership Thematic Report: Delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals through Solutions at the Energy, Food and Finance Nexus

The report launch event will bring together the principals of the ESCAP-ADB-UNDP Asia-Pacific SDG Partnership, and will take place during the APFSD, in preparation for the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF). A panel discussion with experts from the region will follow that will showcase transformations, innovative solutions and collaborations at the nexus of the food, finance and energy sectors that can advance the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda in the region.

More information is available at https://sdgasiapacific.net/events/report-launch-2023%C2%A0asia-pacific-sdg-partnership-thematic-report-delivering-sustainable

  • Associated and Pre-Events

Associated and pre-events take place on the week before and on the week of the 10 APFSD. These events complement the main programme by providing additional space for partners, civil society, youth, and other stakeholders to convene and discuss topics relevant to the Asia-Pacific region. Major pre-events include the annual APFSD Youth Forum and Peoples’ Forum, which serve as inclusive preparatory meetings for the APFSD. 

More information is available at https://www.unescap.org/events/2023/apfsd10-associated-and-pre-events

  • Side Events (in-person and virtual) 

Held outside the official programme, side events deepen the discussion on the theme of the APFSD, on the SDGs under review, and on VNRs. Side events are held in-person or virtually. Each event has a maximum duration of 75 minutes and is independently organized by the partner organizations. 

More information is available at https://www.unescap.org/events/2023/apfsd10-side-events-person-and-virtual

  • SDG Round Tables 

Multi-stakeholder “round tables” dedicated to the goals under in-depth review: SDG 6 (Clean water and sanitation); SDG 7 (Affordable and clean energy); SDG 9 (Industry. innovation, and infrastructure); SDG 11 (Sustainable cities and communities) and SDG 17 (Partnership for the Goals). The objectives of the roundtables are to: establish a shared understanding of the outlook/progress on the goals and of the interlinkages across goals and jointly develop policy recommendations.  

More information is available at https://www.unescap.org/events/2023/apfsd10-sdg-roundtables 

  • SDG Acceleration Pavilion 

The objective of the SDG Acceleration Pavilion is to provide an informal space for regional stakeholders to share good practices of integrated and inclusive approaches for the accelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The SDG Acceleration Pavilion provides an opportunity to network, share, and create or strengthen partnerships with other APFSD participants who are also committed to the progress of sustainable development.

More information is available at https://www.unescap.org/events/2023/apfsd10-sdg-acceleration-pavilion-exhibition-2023-asia-pacific-forum-sustainable 

for more information, please contact

ESCAP APFSD [email protected]
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