Events>Regional Forum 2022

last updated 13.04.2022

Regional Forum 2022

How to build back better from the COVID-19 crisis while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the UNECE region? The 2022 UNECE Regional Forum on Sustainable Development aimed to uncover concrete policy actions to accelerate SDG progress and support efforts to build a resilient and sustainable economic recovery.

April

2022

10:00hrs

HYBRID EVENT
Geneva & Online

April

2022

17:00hrs

ALL ABOUT THE EVENT

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a significant setback regarding the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals. The 2022 Regional Forum offered opportunities for exchange and peer learning on how to accelerate SDG progress in the context of COVID-19 in several formats, including plenary sessions, peer learning round tables, side events and preparatory consultations.
The following SDGs were reviewed in depth:

SDG 4 – quality education and lifelong learning
SDG 5 – gender equality and empowerment of women and girls
SDG 14 – life below water: oceans, seas and marine resources
SDG 15 – life on land: terrestrial ecosystems, forests, desertification, land degradation, biodiversity
SDG 17 – partnerships for the goals

- Join us on Twitter: #RFSD2022

- Live streaming via the UN TV website was provided for all sessions (plenaries and round tables)

- Pictures of the event

Overview

10:00hrs until 13:00hrs April 06 2022: Opening and High-level Policy Segment

Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in the UNECE Region

OPENING

H.E. Mr. Edil Baisalov, Chair of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan
Ms. Amina J. Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations  
Ms. Olga Algayerova, UNECE Executive Secretary and United Nations Under-Secretary-General 
Ms. Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, Vice-Chair of the Regional Collaborative Platform for Europe and Central Asia and Director of the UNDP Regional Bureau for Europe and the CIS

HIGH-LEVEL POLICY SEGMENT

Keynote address by Dr. Åsa Persson, Research Director and Deputy Director of the Stockholm Environment Institute, Member of the Independent Group of Scientists for the 2023 UN Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR).
The keynote speech set the scene for the high-level debate and highlighted the latest scientific findings on the SDGs, taking into account the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and related recovery measures. In addition, the process to prepare the 2023 Global Sustainable Development Report (GSDR) and its preliminary framework was introduced to the audience.

PLENARY DEBATE

Statements by high-level representatives of member States and reporting of key messages from pre-meetings (Forum of Mayors, Civil Society Forum, Joint IPU/ECE webinar with parliamentarians)
13:00hrs until 15:00hrs April 06 2022: Lunch break

Reception for all participants offered by the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to WTO and EFTA, Restaurant Vieux Bois
15:00hrs until 17:00hrs April 06 2022: Peer learning round tables

- SDG 4: Quality education and lifelong learning in the context of COVID-19: sharing best practices and lessons learnt for enhancing inclusion policies and strategies
Format: In person: Palais des Nations, Tempus Room 1 / Online: Zoom
Organizers: UNESCO, UNICEF
Contributors: ITU, UNIDO, UNECE (Strategy on ESD and Working Group on Ageing), UNIDO, UNWOMEN, UNEP, WIPO

- SDG 14: Enhancing ocean literacy and the sustainable development of regional seas
Format: In person: Palais des Nations, Tempus Room 2 / Online: Zoom
Organizers: UNESCO, UNEP
Contributors: ITU, UNIDO, WMO

- SDG 17 (I): Data and Statistics for Sustainable Development
Format: In person: Palais des Nations, Tempus Room 3 / Online: Zoom
Organizers: UNECE Statistical Division
Contributors: UNWOMEN

- SDG 17 (II): Accelerating digital development through multistakeholder partnerships
Format: Online: Zoom
Organizers: ITU/Digital Transformation Group
Contributors: UNEP, UNIDO, UNFPA
10:00hrs until 12:00hrs April 07 2022: Peer learning round tables

- SDG 5: Accelerators of gender equality and women’s empowerment in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic
Format: In person: Palais des Nations, Tempus Room 1 / Online: Zoom
Organizers: UNWOMEN/IBC on Gender Equality
Contributors: ITU, WIPO

- SDG 15 (I): Action to protect and restore terrestrial ecosystems
Venue: In person: Palais des Nations, Tempus Room 2 / Online: Zoom
Organizers: UNECE, UNEP, UNESCO/IBC on Environment and Climate Change
Contributors: IBC member agencies

- SDG 15 (II): Urban forests for future proof cities
Format: In person: Palais des Nations, Tempus Room 3 / Online: Zoom
Organizers: UNECE/FAO Forestry and Timber Section, FAO

- SDG 4: Rebalancing people, planet and prosperity: Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) as key enabler for the 17 SDGs and Agenda 2030
Format: Online: Zoom
Organizers: UNESCO, UNECE and UNEP
13:00hrs until 15:00hrs April 07 2022: Lunch break

Gender-related business dialogue, 7 April 13:00-14:30 (Virtual Zoom Webinar)
15:00hrs until 17:00hrs April 07 2022: Plenary Session and Closing

Forward-looking policies for a sustainable COVID-19 recovery

H.E. Mr.  Edil Baisalov, Chair of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development , Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan

The session discussed forward-looking policies to promote a sustainable recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, based on the key messages from the peer learning sessions on the SDGs under in-depth review (4, 5, 14, 15, and 17).
Particular attention was given to policy coherence and addressing trade-offs in SDG policies and COVID-19 recovery measures at regional, subregional, national and local levels. In this context, experiences from UNECE member States that have presented or will present Voluntary National Review (VNRs) at the High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development were discussed, with emphasis on VNRs as a means to promote policy coherence and multi-level collaboration. Lessons from Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) and from the regional and subregional levels were also considered.

The session featured a multi-stakeholder panel, composed of two representatives from member States and a representative of civil society.

PLENARY DEBATE

CLOSING 

Ms. Olga Algayerova, UNECE Executive Secretary and United Nations Under-Secretary-General 
Mr.  Edil Baisalov, Chair of the Regional Forum on Sustainable Development, Deputy Chairman of the Cabinet of Ministers of Kyrgyzstan

Programme

Opening and High-level Policy Segment

START DATE: Wed. 6 April 2022

END DATE: Thu. 7 April 2022

Opening session, followed by high-level plenary discussion on achieving a sustainable COVID-19 recovery while fully implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Find out more!
Plenary Session and Closing

START DATE: Thu. 7 April 2022

END DATE: Thu. 7 April 2022

Forward-looking policies for a sustainable COVID-19 recovery.

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Round Tables

START DATE: Wed. 6 April 2022

END DATE: Thu. 7 April 2022

Through peer learning round tables the Regional Forum offered a unique learning space where participants could interact with their peers and other relevant stakeholders to exchange experiences and get new impulses for national policy-making.

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Pre-Meetings

START DATE: Mon. 4 April 2022

END DATE: Wed. 6 April 2022

The pre-meetings provided an early opportunity for various stakeholders such as civil society, youth, parliamentarians, business organizations, and academia to meet, share experiences as well as introduce and discuss issues on the agenda, thereby identifying priorities and distilling a common vis

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Side Events

START DATE: Mon. 4 April 2022

END DATE: Thu. 7 April 2022

Side events aimed to create an additional space for various stakeholders to share their experience with regards to a specific issue, related to the main theme of the Regional Forum.

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VENUE

Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

Plenary sessions of the 2022 Regional Forum took place in the Room XVII and peer learning round tables were held in Tempus Rooms 1, 2 and 3 (see the red circle on the map).

Regional Forum 2022

ALL ABOUT THE EVENT

Overview

Opening and High-level Policy Segment

Lunch break

Peer learning round tables

Peer learning round tables

Lunch break

Plenary Session and Closing

Programme

Opening and High-level Policy Segment

Plenary Session and Closing

Round Tables

Pre-Meetings

Side Events

Edil Baisalov

Amina J. Mohammed

Olga Algayerova

Mirjana Spoljaric Egger

Åsa Persson

Octavian Bivol

Andrea Innamorati

Aneta Kankaras

Biljana Ginova

VENUE

Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland

Regional Forum 2022

ALL ABOUT THE EVENT

Overview

Opening and High-level Policy Segment

Lunch break

Peer learning round tables

Peer learning round tables

Lunch break

Plenary Session and Closing

Programme

Opening and High-level Policy Segment

Plenary Session and Closing

Round Tables

Pre-Meetings

Side Events

Speakers

Edil Baisalov

Amina J. Mohammed

Olga Algayerova

Mirjana Spoljaric Egger

Åsa Persson

Octavian Bivol

Andrea Innamorati

Aneta Kankaras

Biljana Ginova

EVENT DOCUMENTS

Statement on Behalf of Mr Stefanos Fotiou, Director, Office of Sustainable Development Goals at FAO

Statement High-level Policy Segment - Greece

Closing of Plenary Session: Ambassador Igli Hasani (OSCE)

Statement High-level Policy Segment - Ms. Mirjana Spoljaric Egger

Mayor of Evian: Josiane Lei

VENUE

Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland