February 24, 2025 | Bangkok – UCLG ASPAC, coordinator of the Asia-Pacific Local Government Coordinating Body, gathered leaders and representatives of local and regional governments for the Second Local and Regional Government Assembly (LRGA) at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. An associated event of the 12th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD), the Assembly was held jointly with the Regional Workshop on the Voluntary National Review organised by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).
In his video message, Mr. Dakila Carlo Cua, UCLG ASPAC President, emphasised the critical role of local and regional governments in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He stated, “It is in our cities, municipalities, and provinces where policies take shape, where innovation thrives, and where real change happens.”
In his video message, Mr. Dakila Carlo Cua, UCLG ASPAC President, emphasised the critical role of local and regional governments in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He stated, “It is in our cities, municipalities, and provinces where policies take shape, where innovation thrives, and where real change happens.”
UCLG ASPAC Secretariat presented the Organisation’s work on open government at the session on “Local Leaders Roundtable: Driving Open Government Action and Ambition in Asia and The Pacific”. This included UCLG ASPAC’s collaboration with Open Government Indonesia in providing training for local governments on international cooperation in 2023 and inclusive city development through cooperation in 2024, development of Gender-Responsive Participatory Budgeting training module with Federation of Canadian Municipalities, and support for the development of Voluntary Local Review and Voluntary Subnational Review. OGP is encouraged to provide an enabling environment, including capacity building and legal framework, to support decentralised cooperation.
In his video message, Mr. Dakila Carlo Cua, UCLG ASPAC President, emphasised the critical role of local and regional governments in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He stated, “It is in our cities, municipalities, and provinces where policies take shape, where innovation thrives, and where real change happens.”
Photo: @ESCAP
Mr. Omar Siddique, Economic Affairs Officer of ESCAP, presented the highlights of the 2025 Asia and the Pacific Progress Report. He indicated that overall progress on the 17 SDGs is off track, with 16 of 177 targets on track and 18 targets deteriorating. He further explained that the region is regressing on Climate action (Goal 13) and is behind the global pace on Decent work and economic growth (Goal 8), Climate action (Goal 13), Life below water (Goal 14), and Partnership for the goals (Goal 17).
In the session on “Local Implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”, several local and regional governments shared their actions and needs to implement the SDGs. These included initiatives of the State of Selangor on implementing a women leadership programme, and Guangzhou on strengthening international partnerships through the UCLG ASPAC Standing Committee of Women in Local Governments. The Joint Statement of Local and Regional Governments to the 12th APFSD was adopted as an outcome document of the LRGA and submitted to the APFSD. In collaboration with ESCAP, a dedicated session on dialogue between national and local governments explored the synergies between the Voluntary National Review and Voluntary Local Review featuring experiences from the Federated States of Micronesia, India, Japan, Malaysia, Maldives, and the Philippines.
Results of the discussion from the LRGA were delivered in the relevant plenary sessions of the APFSD. Mr. Ashok Kumar Byanju Shrestha, Co-President of UCLG ASPAC and Mayor of Dhulikhel Municipality, underscored the importance of the localisation of the SDGs and enhancing partnerships. Mr. Baikuntha Neupane, Mayor of Vyas Municipality, reported on the priority actions to accelerate progress on the SDGs under review and called for enhancing the capacity, facilitating access to finance, and increasing investment at the local level.
Organised by ESCAP from February 25 to 28, 2025 at the United Nations Conference Centre in Bangkok, Thailand, the 12th APFSD had the theme “Advancing Sustainable, Inclusive, Science- and Evidence-based Solutions for the 2030 Agenda and Its SDGs for Leaving No One Behind in Asia and the Pacific”. Over 1,000 participants attended the Forum. The Asia-Pacific SDG Partnership Report 2025 was launched during the APFSD. Prior to this, ESCAP launched the Asia and the Pacific SDGs Progress Report 2025. The Report of the 12th APFSD will serve as the region’s input to the HLPF to be held in July 2025.
Click here for the Statement adopted at the Second Local and Regional Government Assembly held on 24 February 2025.
