The forum was attended by delegates from ESCAP member states and observer countries, as well as UN agencies (UNDP, UNEP, UNESCO, ILO, WHO, UNIDO, IFAD, ICAO, UN FCCC, IGC, UN-Habitat, etc.), international fiscal institutions (World Bank and Asian Development Bank), academic and business communities, as well as civil society.
The forum participants held in-depth discussions on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which are on the agenda of the, scheduled to be held in July 2018, as well as regional approaches to attaining SDGs and ways to promote the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda.
Alexander Bedritsky delivered his remarks at a plenary session on Transformation Towards Sustainable and Resilient Societies. He spoke about the comprehensive measures taken in Russia within the framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the tasks facing the country in the process of creating a mechanism to monitor Russia’s progress towards SDGs. These tasks include the development of national and subnational SDG indicators, the creation of a report platform for submitting information to UN institutions, as well as the preparation of a regular report on the attainment of SDGs.
Alexander Bedritsky reaffirmed Russia’s commitment to implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at all levels. He pointed out that the SDGs can only be attained through the effective integration of these goals in national development strategies with due regard for local specifics and priorities. He said that Russia as a member of the international community of states supports the international approach to global issues and provides all-round assistance towards this at the international and bilateral levels. Russia’s contribution to sustainable development comprises a wide range of areas, including food security, public finance management, enhanced institutional potential, education, social support systems, the fight against infectious diseases, and others.