South Asia Peoples Forum on Sustainable Development, 9-10 November 2021

South Asia Peoples Forum on the SDGs 2021 (SAPF 2021) was  organised on 9-10 November 2021 in virtual mode. The SAPF 2021 is the collective event of the NGOs, people organizations, civil society networks, social movements and civil society major groups and stakeholders.
Main objectives of the forum were to (i) Assess the political, economic, social and environmental situation of the region in the context of COVID-19 pandemic, ii) Identify civic actions and policy demands to protect and fulfill the rights of South Asian peoples and recommend for meaningful COVID 19 response and just recovery, and iii) Develop strategies to intervene in 5th South Asia Forum on the SDGs.
The SAPF 2021 was coordinated by Asia Pacific Regional CSOs Engagement Mechanism (APRCEM) South Asia Working Group and National Campaign for Sustainable Development Nepal. Sri Lanka Stakeholder SDG Platform is contributing as the local host of the event.
The SAPF 2021 proposed following agendas to discuss in the forum this year.
1) Review Progress of Goal 4, 5, 14 and 15 in South Asia
2) Partnership and Means of Implementation for the SDGs
3) Priority Actions for Regional Cooperation

Fifth South Asia Forum on the Sustainable Development Goals: Building back better from COVID-19 while accelerating the implementation of the SDGs in South and South-West Asia, 15-16 November, 2021, Colombo

The South Asia Forum on the SDGs (SAFS) was conceived as the subregional preparatory meetings for the Asia Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD)  to be held in March 2022, which in turn contributes towards the annual High-Level Policy Forum (HLPF).  They have been organized by the South and South-West Asia office of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) in collaboration with South Asian member States, stakeholders and partners since 2017.  The Forums facilitated dialogue and deliberations between Government officials, civil society, think-tanks, experts and other stakeholders on the themes of the annual APFSD and the HLPF, providing a unique opportunity to share information on subregional implementation efforts, highlight subregional priorities and share good practices. The outcomes and recommendations from the Forum feed into regional and global processes, in particular the annual APFSD and HLPF. The Fifth SAFS was jointly organised by UNESCAP and the Government of Sri Lanka. 
ADA and many Civil society presented the CSO statement during this forum.
ADA Statement
YouTube link


Interesting Readings!!

 Letter of the President of ECOSOC on the Voluntary National Reviews at the HLPF 2022 (21 October 2021)
 Handbook for preparation of Voluntary National Reviews (English)
Summary of the First Global Webinar for 2022 VNR Countries
Voluntary National Reviews at the 2022 HLPF
Is Asia and the Pacific Ready for the Global Climate Stage?
ESCAP’s Executive Secretary writes that the time is right for an alliance of governments, the private sector, and financial institutions to put the region on a net zero development pathway. Read
Governments Adopt Glasgow Climate Pact, Operationalize Paris Agreement
COP 26 closed one day late, with compromises aiming to “keep 1.5 alive.” Read
Financing, Gender in NDCs Highlighted at COP 26 Side Events
Ban Ki-moon called for increasing the "green share of ODA.” Read
Capacity Needed to Develop Adaptation Plans: Glasgow Side Events
New funding was announced to facilitate and build capacity for NAP planning and implementation. Read
COP 26 Events Show Climate Ties to Locust Upsurge, Adaptation in Agriculture
An estimated 90% of food system subsidies create perverse incentives. Read
COP 26 Events Address Agriculture's Role in Net Zero
More than half of the world’s population makes a living through food systems. Read
Vast Majority of Climate Actions Must Be Local: Pavilion Discussions
Speakers called for greater recognition of local and regional authorities in the COP 26 outcome document. Read
HLPF Alert
Five Countries Preparing VNRs for 2023
The HLPF will take place in the lead-up to the Second SDG Summit. Read
WTO Heads for a Ministerial Declaration on Trade and Gender
Denmark, Fiji, Georgia, Mexico, Qatar, Rwanda, Singapore, and Sweden jointly submitted the draft. Read
 
Action Please

ADA AGM , December 13, 7-11 AM GMT (Virtual)

ADA Annual General Body Meeting will be organised virtually on December 13 from 7 to 11 AM GMT. The AGM is open for ADA members.

Glo-cal Advocacy Leadership Academy (GALA), Myanmar, 01-03 December 2021

Promoting People-centered Partnership for Peace, Prosperity and Planet (PPP) through Advancing Climate Justice

Registration for NGO CSW66 / NY is open - Deadline: 15 December 2021 

The NGO CSW66 Forum will take place from 13-25 March 2020 in virtual format. Please see information below and flyer attached. Visit here to register online.
 
On 3 November, NGO CSW/NY hosted an Open Forum on NGO CSW66 where participants learned about the basics of the UN CSW and the NGO CSW Forum. Updates, information and plans about the NGO CSW66 Forum were provided. This event recording is a great resource for those who are new to the NGO CSW Forum and UN CSW space.
For more information please contact info@ngocsw.org

High-Level Political Forum 2022 under the auspices of ECOSOC

The meeting of the HLPF in 2022 will be held from Tuesday, 5 July, to Thursday, 7 July, and from Monday, 11 July, to Friday, 15 July 2022, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. This includes the three-day ministerial segment of the forum from Wednesday, 13 July, to Friday, 15 July 2022, as a part of the high-level segment of the Council.
The theme for the HLPF 2022 will be “Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.
The HLPF in 2022 will review in-depth Sustainable Development Goals 4 on quality education, 5 on gender equality, 14 on life below water, 15 on life on land, and 17 on partnerships for the Goals. The forum will take into account the different and particular impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic across all Sustainable Development Goals and the integrated, indivisible and interlinked nature of the Goals.
46 countries will carry out voluntary national reviews (VNRs) of their implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. For more details, please click here.
UNDESA will organize substantive preparations for the thematic reviews of the HLPF 2022 together with relevant UN system partners.
Regional Forums for Sustainable Development will be convened by the Regional Commissions. The regional forums will assess progress and exchange knowledge, good practices and policy solutions to support the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, in line with regional priorities and specificities.

Dates of Regional Forums for Sustainable Development in 2022

UN system and other intergovernmental bodies and forums will be invited to provide inputs to the thematic reviews of the 2022 HLPF. Please click here to access the online platform which contains the inputs to the HLPF.
The HLPF will adopt the Ministerial Declaration as the outcome of its session. The President of ECOSOC will also prepare a summary to capture the key messages of the discussions.
Other events, including the Side Events, VNR Labs, Special Events, and Exhibition will be organized on the margins of the 2022 HLPF.

Voluntary National Reviews (VNR) - 2022 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development

According to the letter from H.E. Collen Vixen Kelapile, President of the ECOSOC, on the closing of the list for countries that will be presenting their Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) at the 2022 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) for your information.
 
Since the first communication dated October 4, a number of other countries have expressed their wish to present their VNRs for the first time at the HLPF. For your ease of reference, please find below the final list of VNR-presenting countries (a total of 45):
 
Andorra*, Argentina**, Belarus*, Botswana*, Cameroon*, Comoros*, Côte d’Ivoire*, Djibouti, Dominica, Equatorial Guinea, El Salvador*, Eritrea, Eswatini*, Ethiopia*, Gabon, Gambia*, Ghana*, Greece*, Grenada, Guinea-Bissau, Italy*, Jamaica*, Jordan*, Kazakhstan*, Latvia*, Lesotho*, Liberia*, Luxembourg*, Malawi*, Mali*, Montenegro*, the Netherlands*, Pakistan*, the Philippines**, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal*, Somalia, Sri Lanka*, Sudan*, Suriname, Switzerland**, Togo***, Tuvalu, United Arab Emirates*, Uruguay*** 

VNR Countries in Asia - 2022
Kazakhstan*, Pakistan*, the Philippines**, Sri Lanka*,

(Note: Countries with one asterisk * are second timers, those with two asterisks** are third timers, those with three asterisks *** are presenting for the fourth time, while those without asterisks are presenting for the first time).

NGO MG Global and Regional Organizing Partners ‘contact details

 
Global Organizing Partners (ngomajorgroupopny@gmail.com):
Jessica Bridgers (jessica.bridgers@wfa.org)
M. Victoria Espada (mariavictoria.espada@dianova.ngo)
Oli Henman (oli.henman@action4sd.org)
Regional Organizing Partners:
Central Africa: Bernard Lutete Di Lutete (bernlutete@yahoo.fr)
Eastern Africa: Henry Oriokot (henrycidc@gmail.com)
Northern Africa: Hagar Monsif (h.monsif@maatpeace.org)
Southern Africa: Joseph Mihaye (aminiac15@gmail.com)
Western Africa: Kofi Kankam (eri@eri.kabissa.org)
Caribbean: Donovan McLaren (kevoy1@yahoo.com) and Joseph Severe (unascadhaiti@gmail.com)
North America: Kehkashan Basu (kehkashanbasu@greenhopefoundation.com)
South America: Rosario Diaz Garavito (r.garavito@themillennialsmovement.org) 
Asia: Jyotsna Mohan (jyotsna@ada2030.org)
Central Asia: Artem Stepanenko (a.stepanenko@eca-ces.ru) 
Europe: Lara-Zuzan Golesorkhi (golesorkhiwow@gmail.com) 
Middle East/North Africa: Anis Brik (anisdago@gmail.com)
Pacific: Emeline Siale (siale@piango.org)

• ADA's official website has been renewed. All the information related to the implementation of SDGs in Asia and actions conducted by Asian CSOs will be accumulated on this website. Please visit www.ada2030.org
• ADA's Facebook page has been activated! The page will channel useful information among civil society actors in Asia. Feel free to tag @Asia Development Alliance in future collaboration. The page is accessible with this web address: https://www.facebook.com/ada2030/ 
• ADA Twitter account @alliance_asia