The Inauguration Ceremony of the Global Development Promotion Center

H.E. Mr. Wang Yi, State Councilor and Foreign Minister of the People’s Republic of China,

Excellencies, Distinguished Guests,

Excellency, Mr. Wang Yi, let me start by expressing my sincerest congratulations on your elevation to a new capacity as a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. It is a reflection of your political and diplomatic astuteness.  We look to your continued leadership and diplomacy with China expected to play a heightened role in upholding multilateralism and driving forward the global agenda on peace and security, human rights, and development, in a world facing multifaceted challenges.

I am pleased to join you to inaugurate the new Global Development Promotion Center hosted by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA).

CIDCA under the capable hands of Chairman Luo is making great strides in advancing South-South Cooperation.

The establishment of this Center comes at a critical moment in our joint efforts to realize the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In recent years, we have witnessed the impacts of a persistent COVID-19 pandemic, an existential climate emergency, new and existing conflicts, and rising inequalities. Combined, these crises are reversing the progress made in eradicating poverty and jeopardize our prospects for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by the end of this decade.

Global challenges such as these require global solutions. And global solutions can only be found through dialogue and international cooperation. UN Secretary-General António Guterres put it best: “Strong collaboration among countries is the only sustainable path to a peaceful, stable, prosperous world for all. Strengthening multilateralism is not a choice, but a necessity.”

The UN family in China welcomes China’s commitment to promoting international cooperation, as it elevates its role as a development actor and provider of international development cooperation.

The Global Development Promotion Center is an important instrument for the implementation of China’s Global Development Initiative, which offers the potential to accelerate global progress on the SDGs if it is strongly anchored in international norms and standards. Along with the newly upgraded Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, the Center is another key vehicle for China to deliver on its commitments to South-South Cooperation and international assistance.

Thank you.