The Ambassador of Sri Lanka to Thailand and Permanent Representative to the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), E.A.S. Wijayanthi Edirisinghe, highlighted the importance of aligning fiscal consolidation with sustainable development at a high-level panel discussion on “Navigating Global Fiscal Stress: A Strategic Roadmap to Reverse SDG Regression”, held in Bangkok on 21 August 2026.

The panel discussion was organised by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Bangkok in collaboration with Stamford International University in Bangkok, bringing together senior diplomats, government representatives, development experts and regional partners to examine the fiscal pressures confronting developing countries and their implications for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Ambassador drew on Sri Lanka’s recent economic experience to highlight how fiscal instability, debt distress and external shocks affected progress towards the SDGs, particularly in poverty reduction, health, education, employment and social protection. She also stressed the need to mobilise domestic resources more effectively and leverage private investment, development cooperation, concessional finance and innovative financing mechanisms to address the SDG financing gap, particularly in underfunded areas such as gender equality, clean energy, climate action and biodiversity.

On international financial cooperation, the Ambassador called for more effective and timely approaches to debt restructuring and greater access to affordable and concessional financing for developing countries, particularly those vulnerable to external and climate-related shocks. She highlighted stronger institutions, better data and partnerships as essential to reversing SDG regression, including through cooperation in public investment management, disaster-risk financing, climate resilience, domestic resource mobilisation and private-sector investment. She also underscored the role of regional organisations such as UNESCAP and development partners in strengthening capacity, sharing knowledge and supporting resilient and sustainable development.

The panel brought together the Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand, Andalib Elias; the Ambassador of Nepal to Thailand, Dhan Bahadur Oli; Professor at the Asian Institute of Technology, Mokbul Morshed Ahmad; Director of Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division, UNESCAP, Hamza Ali Malik; Adviser for Finance and Planning to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Professor Dr. Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir; Executive Director of the Asian Disaster Preparedness Center (ADPC), Aslam Perwaiz; and Principal Coordinator (SDG Affairs), Prime Minister’s Office, Bangladesh, Professor Dr. S. M. Abdul Awal.

The panel discussion concluded with an emphasis on the need for stronger national institutions, more effective resource mobilisation, resilient development planning and enhanced international cooperation to ensure that fiscal pressures did not result in further setbacks in progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.

Embassy and Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka
Bangkok

28 August 2026