Beirut, 14 April 2025--Under the theme "Restoring Hope, Raising Ambition", leaders and policymakers from across the Arab region gathered at the UN House in Beirut today to kick-start the 2025 Arab Forum for Sustainable Development (AFSD-2025), under the high patronage of the President of Lebanon General Joseph Aoun.
Organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), in collaboration with the League of Arab States (LAS), and United Nations agencies working in the region, the three-day Forum is chaired this year by Iraq, bringing together voices from Arab Governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector, and brings together representatives from Arab governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector. It aims to assess progress made in implementing the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in the region and propose solutions to accelerate their implementation.
Opening session
The Forum was inaugurated by a musical performance featuring a medley of national anthems from various Arab countries, presented by a group of students from Dar Al Aytam Al Islamiya. It also included remarks by Lebanese Minister for Administrative Reform Fadi Makki, representing the Lebanese President; LAS Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Planning of Iraq and Chair of AFSD-2025 Muhammad Ali Tamim, ESCWA Executive Secretary Rola Dashti and Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations and Chair of the United Nations Sustainable Development Group Amina J. Mohammed (in a video message).
In his remarks, Makki underscored the importance of coordinated efforts between ministries and all sectors to advance sustainable development. He highlighted the need to strengthen effective partnerships that drive economic growth and contribute to building inclusive and resilient economies. "We reiterate our gratitude for the efforts of ESCWA and all partners involved in this forum. We affirm that restoring hope and raising ambition can only be achieved through partnership, innovation, and renewal-leveraging new tools, with behavioural sciences at the forefront-to build more equitable, efficient, and sustainable societies," he stated.
In his remarks, Ahmed Aboul Gheit emphasized that "the region remains plagued by conflict and instability, hindering governments' ability to strike the necessary balance between economic growth, the preservation of natural resources, and the pursuit of social justice. Yet, despite these challenges, we see a strong and determined Arab will to transform obstacles into opportunities. We have already made significant progress toward sustainable development." He stressed that "sustainable development is not a matter of choice-it is an existential necessity for our peoples. We must work together, with a sense of responsibility and solidarity, to transform the 2030 Agenda into a reality that upholds the dignity of the Arab people and safeguards the rights of future generations."
"Despite the efforts made by Arab countries to implement the 2030 Agenda, these efforts remain modest, and many indicators continue to decline," Tamim affirmed, noting that this reality called for stronger partnerships, the activation of national mechanisms for sustainable development, the closing of data gaps, and crafting coherent, inclusive, and evidence-based policies grounded in science and research. "We hope to come up with concrete recommendations and messages to the world that reflect our development efforts and aspirations for prosperity and a dignified life for the people of the region," he added.
For her part, Dashti affirmed that, despite the threats facing international cooperation and the rapid transformations reshaping our world, hope still endured. "But hope is not restored through words and promises-it is restored through action, accountability, and justice. Elevating ambition requires us to change how we think and operate at both governmental and institutional levels," she said. "At ESCWA, we are committed to supporting countries' recovery, fostering national dialogues, modernizing the public sector, and redesigning social protection systems. We assist Governments in evaluating trade agreements and promote the conversion of debt into investment through the Debt Swap for Climate Action Initiative," she added.
In a recorded message, Amina Mohammed warned that if current trends continued, the Arab region would achieve only eight of the SDGs by 2030. "This is not a time for despair, but for action. I urge you to use this forum to identify the region's needs and priorities and ensure that your efforts help guide global action in the years ahead," she added.
About the Forum
AFSD-2025 comes at a critical moment. With just five years remaining until the 2030 deadline, the Arab region is grappling with a range of overlapping crises: protracted conflicts, increasing poverty, rising food insecurity, constrained fiscal space, and the accelerating impacts of climate change. Yet, the atmosphere at the Forum was charged with determination and optimism, reflecting the essence of this year's theme.
The Forum will tackle pressing challenges related to financial inclusion and financing for development, while also reviewing the Arab region's progress on five priority SDGs: good health and well-being, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, life below water, and partnerships for the goals.
Participants will further explore strategies to reinvigorate the principle of inclusiveness in social development, with a focus on addressing emerging dimensions of inequality, conflict, and constrained fiscal space.
The AFSD is the primary regional mechanism for the annual follow-up and review of progress towards the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development. Its findings and recommendations, conveying key messages from the Arab region and its countries, will be submitted to the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, which will be held in July.
