Sudip Ranjan Basu As the people of Kiribati, Samoa and Tonga gear up as the first nations to welcome 2021, communities around the Asia-Pacific region and beyond look forward to bidding farewell to the most tumultuous year in recent decades. 2020 brought unparalleled human suffering that continued to devastatingly impact on the daily lives of […]
The United Nations, 75 years young: Engaging youth social entrepreneurs to accelerate the SDGs
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana This year, the United Nations is marking its 75th anniversary – a milestone of extraordinary economic and social progress in Asia and the Pacific. While the Organization enjoys a lifespan almost equal to the world’s improved average life expectancy, the future lies with those who have recently embarked on theirs: our young […]
Enhanced social protection an opportunity Asia Pacific must grasp
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana and Chihoko Asada Miyakawa In the fight against COVID-19, success has so far been defined by responses in Asia and the Pacific. Many countries in our region have been hailed as reference points in containing the virus. Yet if the region is to build back better, the success of immediate responses should […]
A Determined Path to the SDGs in 2030 Despite the COVID-19 Pandemic
By Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Kanni Wignaraja, Bambang Susantono As lockdowns ease in countries across Asia and the Pacific in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, one thing is clear—a return to business as usual is unimaginable in a region that was already off track to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The virtual High-Level Political […]
Healthy oceans: keeping Asia and the Pacific afloat
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP Memories of idyllic beaches and sonorous waves may seem far away while we remain at home. Yet, we need not look far to appreciate the enduring history of the ocean in Asia and the Pacific. For generations, the region has thrived on our seas. […]
Asia-Pacific response to COVID-19 and climate emergency must build a resilient and sustainable future
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCAP The unprecedented public health emergency triggered by the COVID -19 pandemic and its multi-faceted impact on people’s lives around the world is taking a heavy toll on Asia and the Pacific. Countries in our region are striving to mitigate the massive socioeconomic impact of […]
Реагирование стран Азиатско-Тихоокеанского региона на COVID-19 и климатические чрезвычайные ситуации должно построить устойчивое будущее
Армида Салсия Алисджахбана, заместитель Генерального Секретаря Организации Объединенных Наций и исполнительный секретарь ЭСКАТО Беспрецедентная чрезвычайная ситуация в области общественного здравоохранения, вызванная пандемией COVID -19, и ее многогранное влияние на жизнь людей во всем мире оказывают тяжелое воздействие на Азиатско-Тихоокеанский регион. Страны нашего региона стремятся смягчить масштабные социально-экономические последствия пандемии, которая, как ожидается, также повлияет на […]
Accelerating SDG Progress in Asia – Pacific
Kaveh Zahedi and Van Nguyen “The 2030 Agenda is coming to life”, declared the Secretary General at the opening of the first SDG Summit, a quadrennial event for the follow up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. As leaders from Asia – Pacific took the floor, theyhighlightedcountry progress of SDG implementation and […]
Catalysing change for gender equality
Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana and Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka Great strides have been taken to empower women and girls in the Asia-Pacific region since the Fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing adopted an ambitious global agenda to achieve gender equality twenty-five years ago.Gender parity has been achieved in primary education.Maternal mortality has been halved. Today, the region’s […]
Equality beyond reach for many women and girls in Asia-Pacific
UN Ministerial Conference opens with urgent call for change to make gender equality a reality Bangkok – Over 500 Ministers, senior policymakers, UN officials, civil society, youth and private sector representatives from across Asia and the Pacific region today gathered in Bangkok to chart out priority actions to support accelerated progress on gender equality and […]