Asia-Pacific Conference on Financing for Inclusive and Sustainable Development

Mobilizing sufficient financing remains a major challenge to effectively pursue the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Although interest in conventional and innovative financing options is growing among public and private sectors, investments needed for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) continue to remain underfunded. This clearly suggests that in addition to national efforts, there is a need to strengthen regional cooperation to facilitate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals through adequate financial resource mobilization in the region.

Given considerable financing gaps in Asia and the Pacific, developing countries need to mobilize additional financial resources in support of the 2030 Agenda by increasing domestic resources, partnering with the private sector, and enhancing international development cooperation. In this context, countries can undertake innovative approaches in achieving the SDGs through strengthening and diversifying financial flows that may be mobilized through taxation and fiscal management, ODA, commercial banking, capital markets, non-bank financial schemes, climate finance, small business and supply chain financing and remittance as well as FinTech solutions and STI finance. The change of investment mindset from short-term to longer-term is also crucial to enhance inclusive and sustainable development in the countries.

ESCAP, in partnerships with the International Chamber of Commerce-Bangladesh (ICC Bangladesh) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) under the patronage of the Government of Bangladesh will hold the “Asia-Pacific Conference on Financing for Inclusive and Sustainable Development” at InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka on 10-12 December 2019. The national chapter of ICC in Bangladesh will also celebrate its 25th anniversary and ICC Centennial at the conference.