Sub-regional Workshop on Aligning Development Policies and Strategies to Achieve MDGs in South Asia

Background

The adverse impact of current global financial, food and fuel crisis on economic growth of countries in the Asia-Pacific could seriously undermine the progress they have made towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Although many countries have achieved significant progress in reaching some MDGs, the South Asia region faces great challenges in addressing the issues related to health, environment (water and sanitation) and nutrition. New findings suggest that the incidence of health, hunger and environment related poverty are not only interrelated but also underestimated in several countries of the region.

The economic slowdown will impact adversely on public sector spending in social areas, and performance towards MDG achievement is likely to falter. It is therefore important that the MDGs are not overlooked; that sufficient human and financial resources are devoted; and appropriate attention be paid to capacity, policy and institutional development needed to support achieving the MDGs. Policy makers also need to regularly monitor the status of their MDG achievements, so that any lack of progress can be addressed in a timely manner.

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Objectives

In view of the above and to assist the developing countries in the South Asian region in delivering their MDG commitments, a sub-regional workshop is organized with the following objectives.

• Stock take the progress on MDG achievements in the ‘on track’ and ‘off track’ countries in South Asia in key sectors such as health, environment (water & sanitation) and nutrition.
• Identify the impediments to the MDG achievements in each of the sectors, including the implication of current global financial, food and fuel crisis, and explore how these impediments can be appropriately addressed.

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Outputs

• Improved capacity of the participating countries in designing and implementing key sectoral policies and programmes for achieving MDGs in health, environment (water and sanitation) and nutrition.
• Sharing of country strategies and experiences in overcoming emerging global, regional, and national threats affecting MDGs.
• Identification of priority policies and action plans for ‘off track’ countries and how they could be effectively implemented.
• Summary of proceedings–as inputs into the regional publication series jointly planned by ADBI, ADB, UNESCAP, and UNDP.

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Participants

Senior-level officials from the Ministry, Department or Agency directly in charge of health, food & nutrition, water & sanitation, and overall MDG coordination.

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How to Apply

Participation is by invitation only.

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Language

English (no interpretation will be provided).

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Partners

Asian Development Bank (ADB), United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (UNESCAP), United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Government of Nepal (GON), South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) Secretariat, World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS)