ABOUT EVENT

The UN Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Regional Forum on Sustainable Development will take place from 9-11 April 2019, in Beirut, Lebanon.

The Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD) is an annual high-level regional platform, where multiple stakeholders discuss coordination pathways for implementation, follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the Arab region. AFSD 2019 will convene on the theme, ‘Empowering People and Ensuring Inclusiveness and Equality in the Arab Region’. Its findings and recommendations, conveying key messages from the region and its countries, will be presented at the 2019 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF).

AFSD 2019 includes three main components: taking stock of global and regional progress, including reviews of specific Goals; highlighting the AFSD’s thematic focus: Empowering People and Ensuring Inclusiveness and Equality in the Arab Region; and discussing national, regional and global processes, including Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) and messages to the 2019 High-Level Political Forum (HLPF).

The Forum is organized by the League of Arab States, with the regional UN Sustainable Development Group (UNSDG).

The SDG Knowledge Hub summary of the 2018 RFSD for the ESCWA region is here.