05th April 2016 Tonga’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications (MEIDECC), Hon. Siaosi Ofa-ki-Vahafolau Sovaleni, opened the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific (UN ESCAP) Forum for Sustainable Development (APFSD) in Bangkok at the ESCAP Headquarters on April 3rd.
The Deputy Prime Minister in his remarks said the forum “is a pivotal platform to forge a path forward as one region, the Asia Pacific, to building robust architecture for achieving sustainable development for our countries and our people.”
Hon. Sovaleni stressed that such forum confirmed the importance of a holistic approach to sustainable development, based on balanced integration of three dimensions – social, economic, and environment and more inclusive development paths.
He also called for more political commitment and leadership to realize sustainable development aspirations by recognizing that a forward-looking agenda needs the engagement of all stakeholders in the region and the forum was vital in translating the global discourse on sustainable development into tangible outcomes at both regional and local levels.
The forum was the first gathering of the region following the successful conclusion of a number of critical international agreements in 2015; which include the Sendai Agreement on Disaster Reduction, Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change.
According to Hon. Sovaleni these agreements “not only reinforce the strength of the multilateral process, but also emphasized the value of regional processes in facilitating and strengthening global consensus.”
“As a region, our collective efforts enabled us to contribute substantive regional perspectives to global debates, in particular towards shaping the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”
The forum aimed to consolidate a regional roadmap for implementing the 2030 Agenda, and decide on the future form, function and modalities of the APFSD.
Hon. Sovaleni said he hoped that the APFSD will continue to play an important role in the region, allowing for dialogue on progress on the SDGs, exchange on best practices, and recommendations for policy and investment options in order to achieve sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific.
There are over 400 participants at this three day forum including Ministers, CEOs, civil societies and youth. The delegation from Tonga also includes the CEO for MEIDECC, Mr. Paula Pouvalu Ma’u.
The Tongan delegation also met with the only Tongan working at the UN ESCAP, Mr. Siope Vakataki ‘Ofa who is the Economic Affairs Officer of ESCAP.
ENDS
Issued by the: Ministry of Meteorology, Energy, Information, Disaster Management, Environment, Climate Change and Communications