CIDCA vice-chairman attends high-level meeting on GDI cooperation outcomes at UN headquarters

On Sept 19, 2023, the High Level Meeting on Global Development Initiative Cooperation Outcomes was held at the United Nations headquarters in New York city, with the theme of "GDI for SDGs: Actions and Progress". 

Chinese Vice-President Han Zheng attended and addressed the meeting. President of the UN General Assembly Dennis Francis delivered remarks via video link. UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina J. Mohammed delivered a speech on behalf of Secretary-General António Guterres. Vice-Chairman of the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) Zhao Fengtao, UN Deputy Secretary-General Li Junhua, and Permanent Representative of China to the UN Zhang Jun delivered speeches at the closing session. Tang Ying, head of the CIDCA's Global Development Promotion Center introduced the implementation progress of the GDI on behalf of China.

Zhao said that as a Chinese government department responsible for international development cooperation, the CIDCA will deepen the alignment of the GDI with the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, actively promote synergy between the initiative and processes of the UN development system, deepen efforts to reform global development governance, and promote the representation and voice of Global South countries in the development field. The CIDCA will also ensure the implementation of the pragmatic measures of the GDI, expand the global development project pool, explore new financing models, and increase financing scales to provide strong support for the implementation of projects, he added.

Caretaker Prime Minister of Pakistan Anwaar ul Haq Kakar, Vice-President of Uganda Jessica Rose Epel Alupo, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia Demeke Mekonnen Hassen, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexey Overchuk, Laos Deputy Prime Minister Saleumxay Kommasith, and foreign ministers and minister-level officials from over 20 countries spoke at the meeting. More than 300 representatives from the GDI Group of Friends and member states of the Group of 77, as well as other international organizations, attended the meeting.

All parties lauded the progress made in GDI cooperation, and spoke highly of the important role and positive contribution of the GDI in building consensus on development, deepening international cooperation, and facilitating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. They expressed their anticipation to strengthen solidarity and cooperation with China, uphold multilateralism, and implement the GDI to facilitate realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.