Accelerating the 2030 Agenda in Asia and the Pacific Requires Stronger Multilevel Governance - UN Habitat

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At the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD13), UN-Habitat emphasised that accelerating the 2030 Agenda in Asia and the Pacific requires stronger multilevel governance, resilient housing systems; and integrated urban solutions that can position the region’s growing cities as key drivers of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Held from 24th to 27th February under the theme “Transformative, equitable, innovative and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for a sustainable future for all”;  and convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the forum is the region’s premier platform for assessing progress on the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

With the global review of SDG 6, SDG 7, SDG 9 and SDG 11 at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) approaching in July 2026, APFSD served as a key regional input to the process. Discussions at APFSD were informed by the 2026 regional SDG Goal Profiles, which synthesise progress, gaps and priority actions ahead of the High-Level Political Forum. Representatives from governments and local authorities, civil society, academia, youth and the private sector came together to reflect on regional progress and identify concrete actions to accelerate implementation.

During the Roundtable on SDG 11, Kazuko Ishigaki, UN-Habitat’s Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, emphasised that the agency’s role extends beyond monitoring progress. “UN-Habitat works with Member States and partners not only to monitor progress, but also to support implementation and shared learning. This year’s SDG11 Goal Profile identifies key levers for acceleration: stronger multilevel governance and future-ready planning; housing and service delivery anchored in resilience and risk reduction; robust urban finance systems; and regional and global cooperation for knowledge sharing and replication. These conditions enable the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the New Urban Agenda to translate into real improvements in people’s lives.”

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