On 27 January 2023, Mrs. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), paid a courtesy call on Mr. Sarun Charoensuwan, Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs, and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation between Thailand and UNESCAP in 2023.

During the meeting, the Executive Secretary Alisjahbana briefed the Permanent Secretary on the 10th Asia-Pacific Forum for Sustainable Development (APFSD) in March this year, and the 79th Commission Session under the theme “Accelerating climate action in Asia and the Pacific for sustainable development” in May this year. She also extended an invitation to high-level representatives from Thailand to attend the meetings. Both sides discussed possible joint activities during the events. The aforesaid conferences are opportunities to review and take stock of the regional progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at this mid-point and discuss future collaboration to accelerate the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The outcomes will be crucial inputs for the Sustainable Development Goals Summit (SDG Summit), to be held in September 2023 in New York

Both sides also discussed ways to strengthen the work of the ESCAP Multi-Donor Trust Fund for Tsunami, Disaster and Climate Preparedness, which was founded in 2005 and Thailand was the first founding donor. They also discussed ways to increase Thailand’s representation within the UN system.