Hybrid Pre-HLPF Event: Global Sharing of Best Practices

This hybrid event held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Putrajaya, was organised by ISIS Malaysia and APPGM-SDG (All-Party Parliamentary Group Malaysia on the Sustainable Development Goals) with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Economic Planning Unit, Prime Minister's Department and the United Nations Country Team in Malaysia.

Quick background:

• The High Level Political Forum (HLPF) is the main United Nations platform on sustainable development and it has a central role in the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs at the global level. It will be held in New York from 5th - 15th July 2022.

• Localisation of the SDGs refers to the process of defining, implementing and monitoring strategies at the local level to achieve global, national and subnational goals of the 2030 Agenda.

This pre-HLPF event was aimed at raising awareness on the HLPF process. The speakers and presenters included Datuk Seri Saifuddin bin Abdullah (Minister of Foreign Affairs), Prof. Datuk Dr. Denison Jayasooria (head of secretariat, APPPGM-SDG), Karima El Korri (UN resident coordinator), Dato' Sri Rohani bte Abdul Karim (chair of APPGM-SDG) and Alizan Mahadi (senior director, ISIS Malaysia).

The questions discussed included:

• Analysis on global solidarity to support more disadvantaged countries

• How Malaysia is doing compared with other countries

• What lessons can we learn to better deliver the SDG targets

In highlighting the systemic gaps in the translation of the SDGs in Malaysia, Jia Yaw highlighted the controversial eviction order recently issued to Kebun-Kebun Bangsar, a successful community farm in Kuala Lumpur. Only several weeks ago, the project was cited by the Prime Minister as a wonderful example of community volunteerism and ownership, and he expressed his hope that the government's commitment to the green agenda can be inculcated at all levels for future generations. This example clearly demonstrates the major gaps between national SDG policy and its translation at the local level.

The recording of this hybrid event can be accessed here.