On 17 March, the 3-day Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD) concluded with a call to accelerate action for a sustainable recovery across the region.
Several key messages emanated from the Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals, recovery and resilience in the Arab region. Most of them focused on suggested solutions to address the impacts of COVID-19 amid the limited fiscal space, increasing debts and the challenge of inclusive social protection.
Jordan, the Chair of AFSD-2022, will submit the messages on behalf of the Arab region to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, which will be held in July 2022.
The Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD) kicked off on 15 March at ESCWA headquarters in Beirut on the theme “Recovery and Resilience”, organized by ESCWA in partnership with the League of Arab States (LAS) and 16 UN entities.
The 3-day Forum was inaugurated by LAS Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed, Minister of Planning and International Cooperation in Jordan Nasser Shraideh as Chair of AFSD-2022, and ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti.
This year, the Forum is reviewing five Sustainable Development Goals namely those related to quality education, gender equality, life below water, life on land, and partnerships. It is also addressing issues of financing, green economic recovery, digital transformation and social inclusion among others.
The Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD) is the primary regional mechanism for the follow up and review of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Arab region. It brings together Arab Governments and sustainable development stakeholders to discuss progress, review national and regional experiences, and consider the latest developments and implementation mechanisms of the 2030 Agenda at the national and regional levels.
(ESCWA)
