The 9th East and North-East Asia Multi-Stakeholder Forum on SDG progress began in Ulaanbaatar on October 22, 2025, and will continue through October 23. The forum brings together regional governments, private sector representatives, civil society, and development partners to exchange insights, share best practices, and strengthen collaboration to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.
Khongorzul Bayarnyam, Senior Specialist at the Ministry of Economy and Development, highlighted Mongolia’s systematic approach to development planning. She explained that the ministry creates policies across long, medium, and short-term timeframes under the Law on Development Policy Planning. The Vision 2050 strategy guides long-term goals, and the government supports it with a 10-year development plan, five-year strategic directions, and the 2024-2028 Action Plan. Each year, officials release action plans to implement these strategies. All planning documents align with SDG progress to promote inclusive and sustainable growth. Additionally, Bayarnyam emphasized that this alignment ensures policies directly contribute to environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Moreover, the government monitors implementation closely to track progress and adjust strategies when necessary.
Meanwhile, Urantsooj Gombosuren, head of the Center for Human Rights and Development, stressed the urgency of accelerating SDG progress. She warned that many targets may not be met by 2030 without stronger multi-stakeholder cooperation. Furthermore, she added that inclusive implementation, policy coherence, and diverse financial sources are essential for meaningful and sustained progress. She encouraged governments and civil society groups to collaborate on monitoring and evaluation. In addition, Gombosuren noted that shared data and transparent reporting would help identify gaps and improve outcomes.
The forum is co-hosted by the Government of Mongolia and the Ministry of Economy and Development, with support from the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific and the East and Northeast Asia Subregional Group of AP-RCEM. Discussions focused on SDG goals 6, 7, 9, 11, and 17. By the conclusion of the forum, civil society organizations will draft a regional statement to submit to the 13th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development and the UN High-Level Political Forum in February 2026. This statement will highlight key priorities, lessons learned, and recommendations for advancing SDG progress in East and North-East Asia.
Officials and participants emphasized that continuous cooperation between governments, civil society, and development partners remains crucial. They also stressed that accelerating SDG progress requires innovative solutions, consistent monitoring, and inclusive policies. Overall, Mongolia’s systematic planning and regional engagement serve as a model for other countries pursuing sustainable development.
