Annual Workshop

Annual Workshop 2023:

The Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok, in collaboration with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP), hosted the "Regional Asia and Pacific Partners Meeting" on September 26-27, 2023. This event aimed to foster trust and innovation in developmental partnerships while enhancing the collective impact of initiatives aimed at sustainable development in the region.

The meeting brought together approximately 140 participants, representing over 40 of Sweden’s partner organisations in Asia and the Pacific from diverse sectors including NGOs, government agencies, private sector stakeholders, academic institutions, and UN bodies. Participant evaluations reflected a high level of satisfaction with the opportunity to share insights and collaborate on key challenges affecting the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly relating to environmental sustainability.

Important points raised and discussed during the workshop included:

• The necessity of integrating the value of natural capital into economic decision-making to ensure sustainable and inclusive development outcomes.
• The urgent need for localized and participatory approaches to climate adaptation, empowering local stakeholders to lead initiatives that affect their communities.
• The importance of deepening private sector accountability through effective integration of human rights and environmental considerations in investment practices.
• Recognition that substantial engagement with youth and marginalized communities is critical for inclusive policymaking and climate action.
• Challenges around access to climate finance must be addressed, ensuring that funding reaches local initiatives and supports grassroots efforts effectively.
• Collaborative and multi-stakeholder approaches are essential for tackling regional and global challenges, combining diverse perspectives to achieve shared goals.
• Transparency and trust-building among stakeholders are vital in creating partnerships that are equitable and effective in implementing sustainable development strategies.

The meeting underscored the importance of partnerships among civil society, the private sector, academic institutions, and government entities in driving transformative change and enhancing the collective capacity to meet the environmental challenges facing the Asia-Pacific region.

The themes of the previous years' workshops were:

• 2023: Trust and Innovation in Partnership with Asia and the Pacific
• 2019: Empowering people for a sustainable future
• 2018: Building Resilience through Participation
• 2017: Co-Creation for Transformation: Effective Delivery on SDGs through Enhanced Cross-Sectorial Interaction.
• 2016: Understanding Human Behavior and Ensuring Human Rights and Gender Equality in the Response to Climate Change
• 2015: Partners in Rights - Promoting Regional Environmental Sustainability and Human Rights through Innovative Relationships between Businesses, Civil Society and Governments
• 2014: Interaction between Environmental Sustainability and a Human Rights-Based Approach
• 2013: Anti-Corruption
• 2012: Gender-Mainstreaming