On 22 September 2022, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand hosted a side event “Regional Pathways to the Global Goals: ASEAN’s Approach towards SDGs Implementation and Sustainable Post-COVID-19 Recovery” in the margins of the 77th Session of the UNGA High-level Week. The event was co-organised by Thailand, as ASEAN Coordinator on Sustainable Development Cooperation, and the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue, with the aim to exchange ideas and views on approaches to regional collaborations and partnerships in advancing the sustainable development agenda especially in the context of the post-COVID-19 recovery. Activities in the event include High-level segment with remarks by H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator the Honourable Penny Wong, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia, and H.E. Dato Lim Jock Hoi, Secretary-General of ASEAN, followed by a panel discussion. The event was attended by representatives from ASEAN Member States, ASEAN’s external partners and UN agencies.

In his opening remarks, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs emphasised the need to accelerate actions to achieve the SDGs, particularly as a quadruple shock – COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, conflicts, and supply chain disruption – has undone hard-won progress made thus far on sustainable development. He suggested two key elements that are preconditions for taking forward SDGs implementation, namely (1) ensuring a peaceful environment conducive to sustainable development and reinforcing constructive cooperation to build strategic trust and create mutual benefits; and (2) enhancing partnerships through synergies, the whole of society approach, and multi-stakeholder engagement for the UN 2030 Agenda. Reiterating ASEAN’s commitment to promoting these two key elements, the Foreign Minister highlighted ASEAN’s undertakings to promote peace and partnerships for sustainable development through frameworks and mechanisms such as the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), the Complementarities Initiative, and the ASEAN Centre for Sustainable Development Studies and Dialogue (ACSDSD). Meanwhile, Senator Wong reiterated Australia’s commitment to deepen engagement and increase sustainable development cooperation with ASEAN to realize a peaceful and prosperous region for the benefit of the peoples.

During the panel discussion, representatives from Indonesia, as the incoming Chair of ASEAN in 2023, the European Union, the FAO, and the Rockefeller Foundation exchanged views on how ASEAN and partners, through the 4Ps – public, private, people, partnership - model, can help turn crisis into opportunities and concretely translate regional development vision into actions. The importance of inclusive collaboration based on mutual benefits was also highlighted as one of the key enabling factors in addressing both short-term and long-term challenges of the SDGs implementation. Panelists commended Thailand for taking the lead in convening dialogue on this issue and reiterated commitments to continue working closely with ASEAN to deliver the SDGs.

This side event serves not only to provide a platform for ASEAN and various stakeholders to deepen engagement and brainstorm ways forward for accelerating SDGs implementation, but it also reflects ASEAN’s continuing contribution to the global efforts in realizing the SDGs and to promoting sustainability in all dimensions at the global level.