Important decisions on this topic were made during the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 8th sessions of the Commission on Sustainable Development (CSD), and at the 19th Special Session of the General Assembly in a resolution called S/19-2. Since the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, every CSD session included a section on financing, except the 11th session which focused only on planning future work.

The importance of financing was also highlighted in the final document of the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development, known as “The Future We Want”, held from 20 to 22 June 2012. In paragraphs 253 to 268 of the document, countries agreed that it is very important to gather resources from many sources and use them well, especially to help developing countries reach sustainable development goals.

At that conference, a group of experts was formed to suggest the best ways to raise and use money to support sustainable development. Their report, completed in August 2014, helped guide discussions at the third international conference on financing for development, held in July 2015 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Financing is also a key part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It is included as a “means of implementation” under each of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) from Goal 1 to Goal 16, and also under Goal 17. Paragraph 40 of the 2030 Agenda says that financing and other support tools are just as important as the goals themselves. The paragraph also explains how the Addis Ababa Action Agenda fits into and supports the 2030 Agenda. The United Nations General Assembly approved this action agenda, and countries agreed that fully carrying it out is critical to achieving all the SDGs.

To continue this work, the Financing for Development (FfD) Forum was created. It is a yearly event held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This forum is open to all countries and helps review financing efforts for development and how the 2030 Agenda is being supported financially. The forum leads to official conclusions and recommendations that feed into the broader discussions at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development.

To continue this work, the Financing for Development (FfD) Forum was created. It is a yearly event held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. This forum is open to all countries and helps review financing efforts for development and how the 2030 Agenda is being supported financially. The forum leads to official conclusions and recommendations that feed into the broader discussions at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development. The First FfD Forum was held from 18 to 20 April 2016, followed by the Second Forum from 22 to 25 May 2017, and the Third Forum from 23 to 26 April 2018, all taking place in New York. These gatherings marked important steps in monitoring global efforts to finance the Sustainable Development Goals and implement the Addis Ababa Action Agenda effectively. 17 SDGs Malaysia continues to support and promote these international financing initiatives, particularly by advancing sustainable development strategies across Southeast Asia.

17 SDG Malaysia continues to actively support and promote these international financing initiatives, particularly by advancing sustainable development strategies across Southeast Asia.