On 31 May 2023, Mrs. Ureerat Chareontoh, the Director-General of Thailand International Cooperation Agency joined the Thematic Discussion on “Accelerating the Recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Implementation for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development through South-South and Triangular Cooperation” as the panelist from the Asia-Pacific Region during the 21st Session of the High-level Committee on South-South at the UNHQ in New York.   The Director-General said that by going green and making the process inclusive, we will be able to achieve sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 Pandemic.  For Thailand, our 13th National Economic and Social Development plan aims to transform the country by emphasizing environmental protection and considering the effects of climate change.  As a result, the Royal Thai Government embraces the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) Economy Model to complement the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (SEP) for Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).  For international cooperation, Thailand redefined our focus by fostering human security in food, health, job, and energy & environment. Thailand has been reinforcing partnerships with partner countries, international organisations including UN Agencies.  The Director-General gave examples of such collaborations namely: the Thai Rice Nationally Appropriate Mitigation Action (NAMA) Project with GIZ; the Project on Promoting Climate Resilience in Farming Communities of Cambodia, which was recognized by UNOSSC; and the Training Course on “Adapting to Climate Change” workshop, co-funded by the Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation and TICA.

The Director-General also spoke about the role of Thailand as the focal point for sustainable development in ASEAN. As the ASEAN Coordinator on Sustainable Development Cooperation, Thailand is committed to forging closer partnerships between ASEAN Member States and development partners in promoting complementarities between the ASEAN Community Vision 2025, the Sustainable Development Goals, and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.