The Government of Sweden’s international development cooperation strategy for Asia and the Pacific for the period of 2022-2026 have passed its midway implementation point and hence it’s time to reflect on what has worked well but also what we should do differently in the future. Through the strategy Sweden is supporting sustainable development in the region, by creating opportunities to improve the lives of people living in poverty and oppression. This development cooperation strategy is based on the principles of aid and development effectiveness, the 2030 Agenda, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, and the Paris Agreement.
Since 2018, ESCAP has been collaborating with Sida to promote empowerment and participation of key stakeholders in Asia-Pacific to accelerate the delivery of environment-related SDGs (SDG 2, 5, 6, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16) in the region, including through advancing access to information concerning the environment, public participation, the opportunity to participate in decision-making processes and effective access to justice, to secure the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment of both present and future generations.
With only 5 years remaining until 2030 and within a crises complex ranging from conflicts and climate to poverty and inequality, continuing on the same path with the same strategies and tools will not suffice. Hence, we need to build on successful partnerships and methods while also engage new actors, as the private sector to both get stronger development outcomes and mobilize additional financial flows addressed towards the factors that severely restrict the potential for long term poverty reduction (Development Challenges).
