Reflections from the 2026 Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development - Why regional SDG spaces matter
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 5 days ago
The 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) took place in Bangkok from 24 to 27 February 2026 under the theme “Transformative, equitable, innovative, and coordinated actions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for a sustainable future for all.” Convened by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), the Forum brought together governments, United Nations (UN) entities, intergovernmental organizations, civil society, and other stakeholders from across the region. This year’s discussions were closely aligned with the 2026 High-level Political Forum (HLPF), with focused review of SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11, and 17, as well as sessions on Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), subregional implementation, financing, and system-wide UN support.
For animal protection organizations seeking to engage more effectively in policy spaces, APFSD was a useful reminder that sustainable development forums are not separate from our concerns. They are, increasingly, a part of the policy landscape in which many of those concerns are being discussed and addressed.
Why the reviewed SDGs mattered for animal protection organizations
As APFSD 2026 reviewed SDGs 6, 7, 9, 11, and 17, the Forum was especially relevant for organizations working at the intersection of animal protection and policy. These Goals help shape the wider systems in which animal-related concerns are addressed, from water governance and urban resilience to partnerships and implementation.
Among them, three were particularly relevant in practical terms:
SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation: Discussions on water security and resource management are directly relevant to animal protection, particularly where the treatment of animals, land use, pollution, and water access intersect with community health, environmental sustainability, and rural livelihoods.
SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities: This Goal is especially relevant because many animal protection issues arise at the local level, including disaster response, public health, urban governance, and the treatment of companion and working animals. It provides a practical entry point for linking animal welfare to broader discussions on resilient, safe, and inclusive communities.
SDG 17 – Partnerships for the Goals: This was particularly relevant to movement-building, as meaningful progress often depends on effective engagement with governments, UN actors, civil society, academia, and other stakeholders.
Taken together, the discussions highlighted that effective engagement on animal-related policy issues often begins with understanding how they connect to wider sustainable development priorities and how they can be reflected in broader policy conversations in a constructive and practical way.
Side events and roundtable discussions at APFSD
Another valuable feature of APFSD 2026 was the space created through its side events and SDG roundtable discussions. Held alongside the formal program, the side events were designed to deepen discussion on the forum’s theme, the Goals under review, and the Voluntary National Reviews. They also offered a useful opportunity to learn from a wider range of country experiences, sectors, and professional perspectives, including those of fellow civil society organizations, UN entities, technical experts, and other partners working across the sustainable development agenda.
The SDG roundtables were equally valuable. ESCAP described them as multi-stakeholder discussions dedicated to the Goals under review, with participants drawn from the APFSD itself, its pre-events, and invited experts and stakeholders. In practice, they created space to exchange perspectives on progress, challenges, and possible ways to accelerate implementation while also allowing room for additional considerations that may not always be fully reflected in the main narrative but can strengthen how the Goals are understood and advanced in practice.
Networking opportunities at APFSD
Beyond the formal program, APFSD 2026 also showed the value of regional forums as spaces for professional exchange and relationship-building. The Forum created opportunities to connect not only with fellow civil society organizations but also with delegates, UN colleagues, technical experts, and other stakeholders working across the sustainable development agenda. Whether through bilateral conversations, SDG roundtables, side events, or informal discussions between sessions, these exchanges helped build a fuller understanding of different national and institutional perspectives while also creating space for future collaboration.
For organizations working on animal-related policy issues, this kind of engagement can be especially valuable. It offers a way to better understand how priorities are being discussed across different parts of the system, where animal-related concerns may connect to wider policy conversations, and how trust and visibility can be built over time through thoughtful participation.
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