This annual report provides a snapshot of the key development system results achieved in Asia-Pacific in 2022 through partnerships between the entities that make up the global development system: the UN agencies, funds and programmes, the Regional Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, national and local governments, subregional organizations, international financial institutions, civil society organizations, and the business sector – a network of developmental partnerships without which these results could not have been achieved.
Our UN teams are on the ground in 162 countries and territories, coordinating joint programmes and tackling a range of priorities and initiatives — from climate action and food security to gender equality and safety of civilians.
Malaysia's journey from an agrarian economy with widespread poverty and deprivation at independence in 1957 to one of the world's best-performing upper-middle-income countries has been rapid.
The UN Productive Sectors Development Program, (PSDP) a joint initiative between the UN in Lebanon and the Government of Canada, is designed to strengthen the agriculture sector in the areas it matters most. The three-year programme, which is funded by the Government of Canada and implemented by UN agencies under the coordination of the Resident Coordinator, has already helped over 2,000 people improve their farming practices as well as develop, run, and maintain their businesses in the agri-food sector.
The Sergio Vieira de Mello Chairs (SVMC), a partnership with UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency and 41 universities in Brazil is helping refugees to validate their educational degrees, access new jobs and careers as they start their life anew.
As we reach the midpoint of the 2030 agenda, African leaders are emphasizing the need to rebuild trust and rekindle global unity amid a series of challenges.
As calls for accelerating progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals grow louder at the halfway point towards the 2030 deadline, acknowledging the challenges of a small island developing state like Jamaica have become even more pressing.
The world needs to focus on the transformative entry points that can have catalytic impact for achieving the Goals: food systems; energy access and affordability; digital connectivity; education; jobs and social protection; and climate change, biodiversity loss and pollution. This action has already begun. At the country level, Resident Coordinators and UN country teams have been on the ground working with host Governments to boost SDG progress and engagement in the areas it matters the most.
Current projections show that by 2030, nearly 660 million people will continue to live without electricity and 1.9 billion without clean cooking fuels. The world needs a transformed global energy system, that prioritizes access and affordability. We can get there with the right energy access policies and regulations, focusing on the needs of vulnerable communities.
From the food we eat, water we drink and energy we consume, biodiversity and nature fuel so many parts of life on earth. With only seven years left to achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, investing in key transition areas, such as biodiversity and climate change adaptation and mitigation, can be a game-changer to advance the SDGs and protect our only planet.
