Professor Jeffrey Sachs Calls for Strengthened Regional Unity and Cooperation at Malaysia MADANI Forum
On March 13, 2026, Prof. Jeffrey Sachs, President of the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN), delivered remarks at the Forum Ilmuwan Malaysia MADANI (FIM) Series 9, a high-level policy dialogue hosted by the Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Seri Anwar bin Ibrahim, in Putrajaya.
The forum brought together policymakers, academics, and experts to deliberate on national and regional priorities on the theme of “Strategies for Malaysia and ASEAN in an Era of Global Instability.”
The event was attended by senior government representatives, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs Dato’ Seri Utama Haji Mohamad bin Haji Hasan, and the Minister of Higher Education Dato’ Seri Diraja Dr. Zambry Abdul Kadir. Participants also included Dr. Sonia Sachs (Research Scholar, Columbia University), Guillaume Lafortune (Vice President, SDSN), and Philo Wang (Head of Policy and Research for Asia and SIDS, SDSN).
In his keynote address, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim welcomed Prof. Sachs and acknowledged his significant contributions to sustainable development and global discourse. He underscored the importance of leadership and international cooperation in addressing critical global challenges.
Discussion took place amidst heightened geopolitical tensions, including the ongoing conflict in West Asia, with serious implications for the global economy, energy security, and multilateral cooperation. In his opening remarks, the Prime Minister emphasized the wide-ranging implications of war, calling for the consistent application of international law and reaffirming the international community’s responsibility to uphold justice, peace, and human dignity.
In his remarks, Prof. Sachs highlighted the urgent need to advance peace, evidence-based policy making, and international cooperation. He commended the progress of ASEAN in promoting regional integration, including initiatives to strengthen cross-border infrastructure and energy connectivity. He noted that in the current global context, sustainable development increasingly depends on collaboration beyond national boundaries.
Emphasizing the importance of collective action, Prof. Sachs encouraged ASEAN Member States to adopt coordinated approaches to global challenges, advising that unified regional approaches carry greater influence. He argued that today’s challenges are solvable, but only through peaceful cooperation.
Prof. Sachs’s participation reaffirmed the SDSN’s ongoing work in advancing sustainable development through multilateral partnerships. This includes initiatives such as the GBA–ASEAN Initiative (GAI), which seeks to strengthen collaboration between the Greater Bay Area of China and the ASEAN nations in policy, trade, finance, technology, and culture. The SDSN continues to engage with partners across Asia and globally to promote practical solutions aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals.
