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Cyrille Bellier UNESCAP
AFD's Director for The Balkans, Middle-East and Asia, Cyrille Bellier, participated in a series of high-level meetings and collaborations aimed at fostering sustainable development in Thailand. These fruitful discussions focus on potential collaborations with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the Global Compact Network Thailand (GCNT), and Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA).

During his visit, Cyrille Bellier discussed AFD's global strategy that aligns with UNESCAP's focus on supporting climate action on land and in the oceans. Additionally, the courtesy visit to UN Resident Coordinator Office confirmed the strong private sector willingness in transitioning path towards SDGs through Global CompactNetwork Thailand (GCNT), Thailand's largest corporate sustainability initiative where GCNT has set a commendable target to mobilize a global movement of sustainable companies and stakeholders to achieve the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Through strategic actions and the alignment of strategies with Ten Principles, GCNT aims to drive responsible business practices in Thailand.

The primary objective of the meeting with UNESCAP is to solidify the collaborative momentum established between AFD and the organization in recent months. This includes regular exchanges with the Division of Environment and Development and the Division of Sustainable Finance. The aim is to foster a privileged relationship at the highest level, recognizing the strategic position held by UNESCAP in the context of the Indo-Pacific region. The development of this privileged relationship can be built upon the alignment of strategic objectives, with priorities established on climate, biodiversity, energy, transport, and disaster risk management in their respective strategies.

In addition, the development of this privileged relationship can leverage complementary resources. UNESCAP predominantly focuses on policy dialogue and capacity building, areas where AFD's extensive regional expertise, established relationships with public and private actors (e.g., EDC or EVN in the electricity sector), renowned research projects (such as GEMMES), and complementary financial tools can provide valuable support. Mobilizing organizations of different natures is essential for the success of the 2030 Agenda. While UNESCAP primarily engages with the public sector, AFD can offer the mobilization of the financial sector through entities like FICS (Finance in Common Summit), IDFC (International Development Finance Club), and SUFIP (Sustainable Finance in the Indo-Pacific). This collective effort will contribute to achieving sustainable development goals at a global scale.

As part of AFD's ongoing collaboration with TICA, a high-level meeting took place during the regional seminar in Bangkok, led by Cyrille Bellier. The discussion focuses on the way forward for AFD's collaboration with TICA after the submission of the Draft amendment to AFD's Establishment Agreement reflecting an official integration of Expertise France into AFD Group. The discussion marks a significant step in strengthening both agencies relationship since TICA holds a central role in AFD's operations in Thailand where both agencies signed an establishment agreement in 2006, outlining AFD's activities in various areas such as environment, biodiversity, energy conservation, and trilateral or joint cooperation within the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) and Africa.

Given continued dialogue between AFD and TICA and the recent TICA's visit to AFD's headquarters in February, which indicated a positive trajectory in the relationship between the two entities. TICA acknowledges the value of integrating of Expertise France and looks forward to enhanced cooperation with AFD.

AFD remains committed to advancing sustainable development in Thailand, and these collaborative partnerships underscore the importance of cooperation between international organizations, national agencies, and private sector actors. By leveraging expertise, resources, and shared goals, AFD, GCNT, TICA, and UNESCAP aim to create a prosperous and resilient future for Thailand.

Contacts :

Manon VIGIER : vigierm@afd.fr - AFD Partnership coordinator & multi country project officer for Southeast Asia

Suwida KINGMUANGKOW : kingmuangkows@afd.fr - AFD Senior Investment Officer in Thailand

Jean-Edouard NASLIN : naslinje@afd.fr - AFD Group Regional Communication Manager for Southeast Asia