By Ali Imran
ISLAMABAD: The Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI) is set host its flagship 29th Sustainable Development Conference (SDC) from November 02 to 05, 2026 here at the Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU).
The overarching theme of this year’s 4-day conference is, “Rethinking Development in an Age of Disruption”. Alongside the conference, the 4th Sustainability Investment Expo (SIE) with the theme, “Connecting Ideas, Investment and Impact for Resilient Development” is also being organized.
In the wake of geopolitical conflict, climate shocks, economic fragmentation and a weakening of multilateral cooperation, this year’s conference moves beyond a retrospective assessment of the Sustainable Development Goals and what comes next, said SDPI Executive Director Abid Qaiyum Suleri. He further said development must be reimagined as a process of securing resilience, managing risk and sustaining human well-being in a volatile world.
The programme is built around the “three Es” of Development, i.e. Economy, Environment and Equity. Development finance runs through all three, with sessions on debt, domestic resource mobilization, blended finance and the inequities of the global financial architecture. Other themes include transboundary air and water security in South Asia, the emerging “heat economy,” Individual Development Goals (IDGs), reconstruction in conflict-hit regions, and multilateralism as a model of cooperation for the Global South.
Technology, including AI, digital trade and data governance, cuts across the programme. The conference will also launch the Global South Solutions Without Borders (GS-SWB) Platform, intended to turn dialogue into pilot projects, policy toolkits and financing partnerships.
The conference will inaugurate on 2 November (Monday) at 9:30am with the opening plenary “Rethinking Development in an Age of Disruption,” held in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives. The agenda lists Federal Minister Prof. Ahsan Iqbal as chief guest and Prof. Dr Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Adviser to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh, as guest of honour.
Two publications, Sustainable Development in the Emerging World Dis|Order and Journal of Development Policy, Research & Practice (Vol. 10), will also be launched on the occasion.
This will follow the Expo’s Awards Plenary and Ribbon Cutting at 11:30am, with Federal Minister for IT and Telecommunication Ms Shaza Fatima Khawaja as chief guest. Sustainability Awards will be presented in seven categories, from climate adaptation and circular economy to digital innovation, clean energy and research-to-impact. An OICCI report will also be launched.
In the afternoon, Prof. Dr Adil Najam, Dean Emeritus at Pardee School of Global Studies, Boston University is scheduled to deliver a keynote address titled: “Strengthening Climate Action: Priorities and Proposals for Effective Implementation”. The State of Environment Report will also be launched on the occasion in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme, and Southern Voice. Further plenaries cover “Rethinking Agriculture Through Regenerative Practices: Restoring Soil, Water and Nature’s Balance” and “Social Protection and Climate Change Nexus.”
On Tuesday and Wednesday, (November 3 & 4 respectively), thematic sessions across economy, energy, water, health, governance, youth, geopolitics, women empowerment and Artificial Intelligence will be held. Most important among them are: “Rethinking Development Through the Three Es”; “Strengthening Power Systems for Energy Transition in South Asia”; “Water Security, Hydro-diplomacy and Regional Peace”; “Rethinking Tobacco Control in Pakistan”; “Pakistan’s Hydrogen Economy: Strategic Priorities Amid Regional Instability; and “Shifting Geopolitics: Risks, Resilience and Prosperity.” Six fireside chats on corporate sustainability will also run through the expo.
At “Climate Finance in Pakistan: Readiness & Gaps,” a launch of the Pakistan Climate Action Hub and a dashboard on Country Platforms, the keynote speaker will be Ms Maja Derrous Mortensen, Ambassador of Denmark to Pakistan. At “Living with Disasters: Understanding Risks, Anticipatory Planning and Financing for Preparedness,” held with (World Food Programme) and International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), Mr Idrees Mehsud, Member DRR at the National Disaster Management Authority, will be the keynote speaker.
Tuesday evening’s plenary will present SDPI’s Lifetime Achievement Award 2026 in honour of Dr Ishrat Husain, the former Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan. Wednesday’s closing plenary, “Circular Economy Transition Beyond 2030: From Policy Ambition to Inclusive Action in South Asia,” will launch a Circular Economy Report in collaboration with Institute for Global Environment Strategies (IGES).
The Conference will conclude on 5 November (Thursday), with its morning plenary “Private-Sector Growth and the Fiscal Policy Agenda for 2027,” followed by “Transforming Pakistan’s Agriculture and Food Systems in an Age of Disruption; and AI for Regenerative and Climate-Smart Agriculture.” The afternoon includes the launch of the Annual State of Renewable Energy 2026 report and a plenary on the “Middle East Crisis and Economic Outlook.”
The closing plenary, “Where Reforms Matter the Most for Growth?”, will feature Prof. Dr Stefan Dercon of the University of Oxford as keynote speaker. It will conclude with a summary of the conference, a vote of thanks to partners, and the SDPI Awards and Best Pavilion Award.
