Strengthening regional partnership in focus of Baku Forum for Sustainable Development

The two-day inaugural Forum, co-hosted by the Government and the United Nations Office in Azerbaijan, has received substantial technical and financial support from the United Nations Development Programme and Azerbaijan’s National Coordination Council for Sustainable Development. The event provides a very dynamic on-stage discussion platform to share regional experiences on the SDGs nationalisation focusing on countries where mainstreaming, acceleration and policy support (MAPS) mission has been undertaken and SDGs accelerators are being implemented.

Participants will also discuss challenges of SDGs implementation in line with the theme of the UN High-level Political Forum for 2019 - “Empowering people and ensuring inclusiveness and equality”.

The role of youth, women, parliaments, civil society and other stakeholders in implementation of the SDGs and promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development will be among topics of discussion as well. Moreover, Forum participants will exchange their experience in SDGs advocacy and discuss ways to strengthen public-private partnerships and socially responsible business models for implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Putting partnerships at the forefront of global development efforts, the Baku Forum highlights the importance of working together with a broad array of stakeholders and attending to the needs of all, leaving no one behind. One of the primary emphases of the Forum is to call attention in the region to clean water supply and climate change action.

With its inaugural inception this year, the Baku Forum for Sustainable Development will be regularly held on a biennial basis and will evolve into a regional development space where policymakers, business leaders, and diverse experts discuss the issues of our time.