Reforging Post-Pandemic Pathways to Sustainable Development in Asia and the Pacific Commitments from the Eighth Asia-Pacific Urban Forum

Please come and listen to the outcomes and commitments from APUF-8 by member States and urban development partners and about the implementation of key recommendations, including from the High-level Communique.

Curt Garrigan

Facilitator

November 7, 2024 | 17:00 - 18:30

ONE UN room B

UNESCAP - United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific

Thailand

English

Reference:

UN-B 15

WUF12

ONE UN

Summary

For the past three decades, the Asia-Pacific Urban Forum has been the region's premier multi-stakeholder forum on sustainable urban development. The 8th Asia-Pacific Urban Forum (APUF-8) was held from 23 to 25 October 2023 in Suwon City, Republic of Korea, bringing together diverse stakeholders to reflect on the multiple and intersecting crises faced by cities in Asia and the Pacific. In this context, ESCAP and UN-Habitat launched a joint publication, Crisis Resilient Urban Futures: The Future of Asian & Pacific Cities 2023 report at APUF-8, which offered policy recommendations towards a sustainable urban recovery from crises. APUF-8 was co-organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Suwon City, in strategic partnership with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Republic of Korea, and in cooperation with UN-Habitat, Habitat for Humanity International and CityNet as well as a range of supporting partner organizations.

APUF-8 sessions drew unique insights from urban thought leaders, government officials and major stakeholder groups, based on experiences of resilience-building, urban transformations and innovative approaches and actions to support the New Urban Agenda and the decade for action for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Importantly, the Forum also included a High-Level ministerial session, which resulted in the High Level Communique for Sustainable Urban Development in Asia-Pacific, highlighting priority actions, partnerships for collaborative action and recommendations for follow-up and review.

This event will share key outcomes from APUF-8 and continue dialogues among multi-stakeholder members of the Asia-Pacific Localization Partnership for Sustainable Cities – CITIES (APLP-CITIES) [formerly Penang Platform for Sustainable Urbanization (PPSU)] and others to strengthen collaboration and collective action towards addressing the complex challenges of sustainable urbanization in Asia and the Pacific and to implement the recommendations in the APUF-8 High-Level Communique. By bringing together mutually committed partners, the event aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, share best practices, and identify innovative solutions. Ultimately, the goal is to strengthen commitments among stakeholders and inspire collective action towards building a better future for subnational and local communities across the region and world.

Objectives

The key objective of the event is to share with a broader audience the outcomes and commitments from APUF-8 and discuss with member States and urban development partners the implementation of key recommendations, including from the High-level Communique. It will give momentum to ensure that the region collectively strengthens efforts to promote sustainable urban development ahead of the next APUF-9 to be held in 2027.

The future of sustainable urbanization in Asia and the Pacific is critical in addressing pressing global challenges, due to the region’s rapid urbanization, associated resource consumption and emissions, and the cross-cutting impact on a range of social, environmental and economic issues. Through ongoing dialogues, stakeholders will identify opportunities for collaborations on innovative solutions that promote environmental conservation, social equity, and economic prosperity. Moreover, focusing on sustainable urbanization is crucial for mitigating climate change impacts, enhancing resilience against natural disasters, and ensuring inclusive development in the region for present and future generations. Sustaining these discussions fosters knowledge exchange, policy coherence, and collective action, thereby paving the way for resilient, livable, and prosperous urban landscapes across Asia and the Pacific.