Strong political commitment, action and well-functioning coordination mechanisms, fully supported by the countries of Asia and the Pacific, will be critical to ensure that “no one is left behind,” were spotlighted at the opening of the2016 session of the main United Nations policy forum in the region. The 72nd session is being held under the theme ‘Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) for Sustainable Development,’ and places particular emphasis on harnessing STI towards achieving the 2030 Agenda in Asia-Pacific.