On day 2 of the Fifth Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD), participants continued their discussions focusing in particular on

• Interlinkages across the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), focusing on success stories and lessons learned from several countries in the region;
• National perspectives and progress through the lens of the Voluntary National Reviews; and
• Progress on the regional roadmap for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Delegates watched a video showcasing the recently launched SDG Help Desk, an online platform developed by ESCAP to serve as a knowledge repository and provide access to, among other things, data portals and e-learning resources. 

Reacting to the video and reflecting on the main themes of the regional roadmap, Kaveh Zahedi, Deputy Executive Secretary, ESCAP, highlighted that ESCAP aims to ensure that no one is left behind in the Asia-Pacific region, by focusing on: initiatives improving the analysis of policy options; knowledge sharing; technical support and capacity building; and multi-stakeholder engagement.

Zahedi further noted fruitful cooperation between ESCAP and other intergovernmental organizations, including through:

• publishing a report on “Transformation Towards Sustainable and Resilient Societies in Asia and the Pacific” with the Asian Development Bank and the UN Development Programme; 
• organizing the Asia-Pacific Climate Week with the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; and 
• co-hosting the Global SDG7 Conference organized by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs on clean and affordable energy. 
  

The day closed with the launch of the report on “Partnering for Sustainable Development: Guidelines for Multi-stakeholder Partnerships to Implement the 2030 Agenda in Asia and the Pacific,” jointly prepared by ESCAP and the UN University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability.