The United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), in partnership with Cyberport and the Innovation and Technology Bureau of HKSAR Government, held the Asia-Pacific Business Forum (APBF) 2018 last April 10-11 in Hong Kong.  

MI’s Executive Director Dr. Watcharas Leelawath joined other participants from the public and private sectors, civil society, and the academe in the two-day forum and networking event.

With the theme on “Harnessing Business to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals through Technology, Innovation and Financing”, the forum focused on how business engagements can enhance the achievement of inclusive and sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region. Discussions were anchored on initiating private sector-led innovation and technology to promote the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; improving access to finance to facilitate income generation; as well as identifying innovative solutions to address challenges in achieving the SDGs.

The dialogue was preceded by the 5th Meeting of the ESCAP Sustainable Business Network (ESBN) on April 9. Dr. Leelawath served as a member of the Task Force on Agriculture and Food wherein he shared MI’s experiences on accelerating the formation of farmer groups in Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Vietnam.

With the Task Force’s objective of achieving SDG No. 2: zero hunger, MI continues to align its commitment to advancing sustainable agriculture and food safety in the Greater Mekong Subregion.