Policy Dialogueon
Regional Cooperation for Sustainable Development in South Asia
17 November 2021
Colombo, Sri Lanka
Hybrid mode
Venue: Hilton Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka

Concept Note
Regional cooperation is a critical factor in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs). Its value transcends ease and efficiency of resource mobilization, spanning diverse and powerfulways through which collective efforts can strengthen achievement of the SDGs. Cooperative approaches
promise to deliver faster results with greater efficiency. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Developmentencourages all member states to engage in regional forums in various stages of its implementation.
Countries belonging to specific geographic regions are often found to have similar development trajectories,
owing to a mix of historical, cultural and locational factors, and hence have many common sustainable
development policy challenges. Moreover, due to proximity, they are also often bound by transboundary
issues such as climate change and natural disasters, energy security, transport and ICT connectivity, whichneeds collectively developed and owned policy solutions and transboundary infrastructure networks. Such
networks can enhance access to goods and services which are critical for improving living conditions,especially for vulnerable groups.
The need for collective regional actions is immense in the South Asia subregion to enhance effectivenessand efficiency of SDG interventions. South Asia’s progress towards the SDGs has been uneven, marked bysome notable improvements in certain targets related to poverty reduction, food security and health, but islagging behind in terms of overall progress. At the current pace of progress, the subregion is not on track
for meeting any of the SDGs by 2030 and requires accelerated efforts to stay on stay on course. Alarmingly,
South Asia is found to be regressing on key goals related to environmental sustainability (Goals 13 on
Climate Action and Goal 14 on Life Below Water), which may in turn have negative impacts on policy
programmes for other goals. The subregion needs to utilize the full potential of regional cooperation in thisregard, especially as the COVID-19 outbreak is causing unexpected socio-economic disruptions across thesubregional countries. As the negative impacts of the crisis threatens to exacerbate pre-existingvulnerabilities across South Asian countries, they must work together to hasten recovery.
Recognizing the importance of regional cooperation in ensuring resilient recovery from the pandemic, theResolution adopted by UNESCAP member states at the 77th Commission Session of 2021
(ESCAP/RES/77/1-Building back better from crises through regional cooperation) calls for, among otherareas, enhanced ‘cooperation in closing connectivity gaps, strengthening digital connectivity, andpromoting the digital economy, sustainable and disaster resilient infrastructure and investment, and toenhance regional supply chain connectivity and diversification”.
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As part of its support programmes for fostering development cooperation within South Asia, UNESCAP
has been organizing a series of Policy Dialogues through its Subregional Office for South and South-West
Asia (UNESCAP-SSWA) on various of sustainable development topics covering regional trade, transportand energy connectivity, food security etc. These efforts have resulted in the formation of the South Asia
Network for SDGs (SANS), a network of think-tanks from South Asian countries mandated to explore thescope of regional cooperation, including through multi-stakeholder partnerships and collaborative research,
for achievement of SDGs in the subregion.
In continuation of these initiatives, and following the directives of UNESCAP Resolution 77/1, UNESCAPSSWA is organizing a Policy Dialogue entitled ‘Regional Cooperation for Sustainable Development inSouth Asia’ on 17 November 2021 at Colombo, Sri Lanka. This Policy Dialogue seeks to deepen theengagement between various stakeholders, focusing on potential areas for further strengthening subregional
linkages, and how such linkages can be channeled into inclusive growth and sustainable development
outcomes. Focus areas of discussions are:••••Deepening of intra-regional trade and investment relations in the aftermath of disruptions to global
commerce caused by COVID-19
Improving transport and energy connectivity as key enablers of sustainable development
Promoting regional cooperation mechanisms to address the growing threat of climate change,
shared risks and vulnerabilities.
Framing of future agenda for the South Asia Network for SDGs (SANS), responding to the callmade by UNESCAP Resolution 77/1 on Building back better from crises through regional
cooperation.

Organization and Participation
The Policy Dialogue will be organized by UNESCAP South and South-West Asia Office on 17 November
2021 in Sri Lanka, back to back with the Fifth south Asia Forum on SDGs. It will be attended by regional
policy think-tanks, representatives of governments, academia, civil society organizations, media, and otherkey stakeholders from South Asian countries.

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Tentative Programme
09:00-09:15

Registration

9:15–09:45

Inaugural Session
Welcome address• Mr. Adnan Aliani, Officer-in-Charge, UNESCAP South and South West Asia
Office (UNESCAP-SSWA), New Delhi•Dr. Dushni Weerakoon, Executive Director, IPS, Sri Lanka•

Ms. Chamindry Saparamadu, Director General, Sustainable DevelopmentCouncil, Government of Sri Lanka

Special address:• H.E. Mr. Esala Ruwan Weerakoon, Secretary General, SAARC•

H.E. Ms. Fathimath Niuma, Deputy Minister, Ministry of National
Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, Maldives•
Inaugural address•

Hon Tharaka Balasuriya, State Minister of Regional Cooperation, Sri Lanka

09:45-10:00

Group Photo and Coffee break

10:00 -11:00

Session 1: Enhancing regional economic integration in South Asia in the emerging
context
Rising protectionist tendencies and trade tensions, emerging mega-regional trade
agreements and transformative technologies are fast changing the landscape of global
trade and investment flows. Global trade and investment flows have experienced
unprecedented setbacks in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak. Against growing
uncertainties and volatilities in the external economic environment, the impetus for South
Asia to look inwards and harness its intra-regional potential is now more than ever. Thissession will examine the progress and potential of the existing economic cooperation
initiatives in South Asia, trends of regional trade and investment flows andimplementation of trade facilitation measures. It will discuss ways to modernize regional
trading systems and fully utilize the scope of regional production networks.
Moderator:• H.E. Amb. Gyan Chandra Acharya, Chairman, SAWTEE Centre for SDGs,
Kathmandu and former UN Undersecretary GeneralPresentation:

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•

Dr. Selim Raihan, Executive Director, South Asian Network on Economic
Modeling (SANEM), Bangladesh

Panelists:• Dr. Abid Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI, Pakistan• Mr. Chanchal Chand Sarkar, Director, Economic, Trade and Finance,SAARC Secretariat• Prof. Shahid Ahmed, Professor, Department of Economics, Jamia

Millia Islamia, New Delhi•Dr. Asanka Wijesinghe, Research Economist, Institute of Policy Studies, SriLanka

Open discussion
11:00–12:15

Session 2: Regional Cooperation for enhancing shift towards sustainable freighttransport in South and South-West Asia
Enhancing shift towards sustainable freight transport has become imperative given therising negative externalities of freight transport in South and South-West Asia. It also
provides an opportunity for the subregion to build back better from the pandemic. Thissession will elaborate on the United Nations Development Account project on Enhancing
Shift towards Sustainable Freight Transport in Asia and the Pacific being implemented
by the ESCAP. The Session will also discuss on the experience on Sri Lanka andBangladesh on the potential to enhance sustainability of freight transport throughdedicated national strategies.
Moderator:•Mr. W.A.D.S. Gunasinghe, Director General (Planning), Ministry ofTransport, Sri Lanka (tbc)

Presentation:•Mr. Sandeep Raj Jain, Transport Division, UNESCAP

Panellists:••••

Mr. B. N. Puri, AITD, India
Mr. Paul Apthrop, Lead Consultant, Sustainable Freight Transport, ESCAPMr. Md Anisur Rahman, Joint Secretary, Road Transport and Highways
Division (RTHD), Bangladesh
Dr. Thusitha Sugathapala, Senior Lecturer, University of Moratuwa, SriLankaOpen discussion
12:15–13:15

Lunch4

13.15-14:15

Session 3: Fostering Energy Cooperation
Exponentially growing demand for energy and saturating traditional sources of energy
characterises the ever-widening energy gaps in South Asia. Addressing energy gaps inSouth Asia is also challenged by the need to improve its energy-mix, relying more on
renewable energy sources. In South Asia, the greatest scope for aching the twin goal ofenergy sufficiency and improvements in the energy-mix lies in generation and trade ofhydro-power. Though bilateral frameworks for such trade, in terms of bothinfrastructure and power trading agreements, exist in the subregion, a comprehensive
regional framework is still lacking. This session will explore ways and means ofextending various bilateral framework to form an integrated regional power grid andregional energy market.
Moderator:• Dr. Rajan Sudesh Ratna, UNESCAP, New Delhi (tbc)
Presentation: (15 minutes each)••

Mr. Matthew Wittenstein, Chief, Energy Division, ESCAP
Mr. V.K. Kharbanda, Consultant, UNESAP

Panelists:••••Dr. Abid Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI, Islamabad
Dr. Nawaz Ahmad, Director, SAARC Energy Centre
Dr. Jyoti Parikh, Executive Director, IRADeDr. Vidura Ralapanawa, Executive Vice President, Innovation andSustainability of Epic Group

Open discussion
14:15-15:30

Session 4: Regional Cooperation for addressing Disaster Risks and Building
Climate Resilience
Asia-Pacific disaster report 2021 presents a new riskscape of South and South-West Asia
(SSWA). Around 675 million people in SSWA are exposed to natural and biologicalhazards – 345 million to heatwaves, 205 million to droughts and 126 million to floods
and cyclones. In the Ganges-Brahmaputra-Meghna basin, for example, around one-thirdof the total population are at risk of exposure to floods. For droughts, the greatest risks
are in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Nepal and Pakistan – countries with large
agriculture sectors and rural populations with high levels of poverty. Droughts and floods
are also responsible for high economic losses. Climate change impacts will exacerbate
these vulnerabilities. Priority adaptation measures that yield high and multiple benefits
would be building resilient infrastructure and investment in strengthening early warning
systems followed by resilient water management systems, improving dryland agriculture
and protecting mangroves. The overall GDP of the sub-region is $4.7 trillion, whileannualized average losses both from natural and biological hazards is estimated to be5

$161 billion (4 per cent of GDP) and adaptation cost is around $51 billion (1.1 percentof GDP). The adaptation benefits cover all three social, economic, and environmental
pillars of the SDGs.
The session will deliberate on closing the adaptation gaps by utilizing existing regional
co-operation mechanisms and building resilience in South and South-West Asia.
Moderator:
Mr. P.K. Taneja, Director, SAARC Disaster Management Centre (SAARC Disaster
Management perspectives and recent priorities) [5 min]Presentations:••••Mr. Sanjay Srivastava, ESCAP –South Asia Sub-regional Disaster Report
2021 – key messages and recommendations on bridging adaptation andresilience gaps [7 min]Ms Madhurima Sarkar-Swaisgood, ESCAP’s risk and resilience portal for
estimating adaptation costs and risk-informed priorities for South Asia [7min/Virtual]
Mr Yuji Masutomi, Asia-Pacific Climate Adaptation Platform (AP-PLAT) –products for climate resilience in South Asia [7 min/Virtual]
Mr Tana ji Sen, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure [7 min/virtual]

Panelists:••••

Mr. Ashis Mitra, In-Charge, BIMSTEC Centre on Weather and Climate(BCWC), Noida (UP), New Delhi [5 min] – BCWC products and services for
integrated multi-hazard early warning systems (Virtual).
Ms Mandhira Singh Shrestha, ICIMOD, Kathmandu [5 min] -Opportunities
for managing cascading hazards with multi-hazard risk management in South
Asia (virtual).
Mr. Ramraj Narasimhan, RIMES [5 min], Opportunities to capitalize on
climate adaptation and resilience for South Asia (virtual)
Ms. Madhavi Malalgoda Ariyabandu, Duryog Nivaran (Network for DisasterRisk Reduction in South Asia), Colombo (5 min) Opportunities formainstreaming gender in DRR: Regional co-operation perspectives.

Discussion on:
New opportunities for strengthening regional co-operation in South Asia
15:30–15:45

Tea/Coffee Break

15:45–16:45Session 5: Building back better from crises through regional cooperation: Setting
the Future Agenda for the South Asia Network on SDGs (SANS)SANS was established to facilitate cross-fertilization of ideas, sharing of goodpractices, policy analyses on specific subregional issues and building capacities foraccelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda. This session will discuss the scope,6

activities and the way forward for the members and partners of SANS for meeting thetwin goals of recovery from the COVID-19 crisis and acceleration of progress towardsthe SDGs.
Moderator:•Prof. Nagesh Kumar, Director, Institute for Studies in Industrial Development(ISID)

Panelists: Heads/senior representatives of South Asian think-tanks••••••

Dr. Fahmida Khatun, Executive Director, CPD, Bangladesh
Prof. Shahid Ahmed, Professor, Department of Economics, Jamia Millia
Islamia, New Delhi
Dr. Posh Raj Pandey, Executive Chairman, SAWTEE, Nepal
Dr. Abid Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI, Islamabad
Dr. Dushni Weerakoon, Executive Director, IPS, Sri Lanka
Dr. Arvind Kumar, President, India Water Foundation

Open discussion
16:45-17:00

Wrap up and Closing session•••

Ms. Chamindry Saparamadu, Director General, Sustainable DevelopmentCouncil, Government of Sri Lanka
Dr. Dushni Weerakoon, Executive Director, IPS, Sri Lanka
Mr. Adnan Aliani, Officer-in-Charge, UNESCAP South and South West Asia
Office (UNESCAP-SSWA), New Delhi

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