Government officials, development experts, business leaders, and civil society representatives gathered in Bangkok for the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development, issuing an urgent call to accelerate action on water security, clean energy, sustainable cities, and regional partnerships as the deadline for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals draws closer. The forum, convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, highlighted growing concern that progress across the region remains uneven and increasingly at risk.
Opening the meeting, UN Under-Secretary-General Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana warned that weakening multilateral cooperation could undermine financing, technology transfer, and long-standing global partnerships essential for sustainable development. She emphasized that Asia and the Pacific, now a global hub for finance and innovation, holds significant capacity to drive solutions but must rethink how regional collaboration can respond to rapid economic, technological, and environmental change.
The President of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, Lok Bahadur Thapa, underscored that collective regional action strengthens global stability, particularly in addressing climate resilience, trade connectivity, and social protection. He linked these priorities to the Pact for the Future, which reaffirms commitments to stronger international cooperation at a time of rising geopolitical fragmentation.
Chaired by Tonga’s Minister of Internal Affairs Fane Fotu Fituafe, the forum examined persistent development gaps despite notable gains. Access to basic drinking water and sanitation has improved, yet safely managed sanitation remains inconsistent, particularly in climate-vulnerable and lower-income nations. Increasing droughts, floods, and saltwater intrusion are further destabilizing water security, especially for small island and landlocked developing countries.
Energy access has expanded to nearly all parts of the region, but remote rural and island communities continue to face unreliable and costly electricity. Similarly, rapid digital expansion has not translated into universal inclusion, as affordability barriers, limited digital skills, and accessibility challenges still exclude many low-income households and persons with disabilities.
Participants stressed that achieving meaningful progress will depend heavily on national and local implementation, supported by stronger political leadership, better real-time data for policymaking, and deeper collaboration with private sector actors and civil society. Advocates at the forum called for development strategies grounded in human rights, accountability, and community leadership, alongside sustained engagement of young people in shaping solutions.
On the sidelines, a new regional report released by ESCAP in partnership with the Asian Development Bank and the United Nations Development Programme painted a stark picture of widening urban inequality. The 2026 Asia-Pacific SDG Partnership Report, titled Inclusive Urban Futures: From Inequality to Opportunity, found that 697 million people across the region live in slums, more than 65 percent of urban workers remain in informal employment, and approximately 2.3 billion people are exposed to unsafe air pollution levels.
The report warns that rapid urbanization is intensifying inequality rather than reducing it, with vulnerable populations facing inadequate housing, limited social protection, and escalating climate risks. It calls for people-centered solutions such as community-led housing initiatives, expanded access to decent work, improved waste management, and stronger climate resilience measures to ensure cities remain livable and inclusive.
