The network of trade unions working on development and international cooperation in the Asia Pacific met in Bangkok on 7-8 March to discuss their work plan and fine-tune their key messages ahead of the regional forum on sustainable development.
During the meeting, unions had the opportunity to exchange with representatives of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia-Pacific (UN-ESCAP), the International Labour Organization’s regional office (ILO) and the UN Development Coordination Office in Asia Pacific on the role that trade unions play in promoting decent work-based policies that contribute to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and how this role can be enhanced, notably through ensuring an active engagement of trade unions in UN-led development processes both globally and at the national level.
The discussion centred on the role of decent work, just transition and social protection on accelerating the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Asia-Pacific, and how trade unions can effectively engage in existing processes such as the implementation of the UN Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions, and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks that UN country teams develop in collaboration with national governments and other national stakeholders, including trade unions.
In addition, particular attention was paid to the need to find ways to finance sustainable development in Asia-Pacific, including key financing strategies on development cooperation, tax justice, financing from multilateral banks, business accountability, debt, and trade.
Unions’ work plan and next steps
The meeting was also an occasion for trade unions to assess their work and review the planning for the rest of 2023.
Building on the positive momentum of 2022, where trade union messages were clearly reflected in the language of the UN and appeared in many of the resolutions and declarations of global high-level meetings, trade unions dedicated some time to review their plans ahead of the upcoming Regional Forum on Sustainable development and sharpen their key messages on the SDGs, with a particular focus on the five SDGs that will be reviewed at the Forum: SDG 6 on clean water and sanitation; SDG 7 on affordable and clean energy; SDG 9 on industry, innovation and infrastructure; SDG 11 on sustainable cities and communities; and SDG 17 on partnerships for the Goals.
