CIDCA vice-chairman holds courtesy meeting with IDOS director

Zhao Fengtao, vice-chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), met with a delegation of German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) led by its director Anna-Katharina Hornidge on June 7.

At the courtesy meeting, Zhao acknowledged Germany's contribution to the promotion of global sustainable development as an important player in international development cooperation. In recent years, the CIDCA has carried out pragmatic cooperation with the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development and the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), which has yielded fruitful results. The IDOS, as an important German think tank on researching development cooperation, has conducted extensive exchanges with relevant Chinese universities and research institutes, which is conducive to enhancing mutual understanding between the two countries, he said.

He also said that China attaches great importance to the theoretical research and innovative practice of foreign assistance. The China-proposed Global Development Initiative (GDI) has been well-received by the international community, and will play an important role in helping achieve the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The CIDCA is willing to strengthen intellectual communication with think tanks of all countries, including the IDOS, to promote theoretical research and innovation in key areas, as well as exchanges and cooperation between Chinese and foreign universities and think tanks, he added.

Hornidge thanked Zhao for the meeting and briefly introduced the IDOS. The IDOS focuses on innovative research in such areas as sustainable development, social justice, poverty reduction, health, gender equality and food security, according to her. It has had extensive cooperation with international financial institutions, and maintained positive cooperation with Chinese scientific research institutions.

Given that the UN's 2030 Agenda is facing severe challenges, the IDOS is willing to tap its advantages and strengthen research and exchanges with the CIDCA, Chinese universities and think tanks, and jointly promote international development cooperation for sustainable global development, she said.

Director-General of the CIDCA's Department of Supervision and Evaluation Tian Lin, Deputy Director-General of the CIDCA's Department of International Cooperation Du Wei, and representatives from the College of International Development and Global Agriculture under the China Agricultural University, the German Embassy in China and the GIZ also attended the meeting.

Tian held further exchanges with the delegation after the meeting.