Strengthening South-South and Triangular Cooperation: Rural Solutions from IFAD China

Dr. Geraldine Mukeshimana, Vice-President of IFAD,

Excellencies,

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the UN Compound this evening, and to extend a warm welcome to the Vice-President of IFAD on behalf of the United Nations Country Team in China. I would also like to thank the IFAD Country Office, together with the Foreign Economic Cooperation Center of MARA and the News and Information Center of Xinhua, for coming together to host tonight’s reception celebrating IFAD’s long-standing partnership with China: one that has advanced rural revitalization, agricultural transformation, and South–South cooperation across Asia and beyond.

For over four decades, China and the United Nations have shared a journey of mutual learning and innovation. Together, we have improved the lives and livelihoods of millions of people across China. In particular, through the work of IFAD, millions of rural households have benefited from targeted investments, participatory approaches, and scalable solutions. These projects have demonstrated how rural revitalization can be achieved through inclusive growth—linking smallholders to markets, empowering women, and strengthening local institutions. The experiences generated in China have not only transformed communities here but have also inspired new models of development cooperation for other countries in the Global South.

The United Nations in China deeply values this partnership and the contribution that IFAD has made in promoting knowledge exchange and peer learning among developing countries. South–South cooperation is not only a key modality for implementing the 2030 Agenda, but also a vital bridge for innovation, solidarity, and mutual benefit.

This event takes place at a pivotal moment. The United Nations and the Government of China have recently finalized a new UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework for 2026–2030, which will guide UN activities in China for the next five years. This Framework will align closely with China’s forthcoming 15th Five-Year Plan, focusing on areas where international cooperation can add the greatest value: revitalized rural communities, green and digital transitions, and inclusive growth that leave no one behind.

In this context, rural revitalization is central to our shared vision. The transformation of China’s countryside—where innovation meets tradition, and where prosperity is rebalanced with ecological stewardship—embodies many of the Sustainable Development Goals. By aligning our work with national priorities, we will deepen partnerships that connect global agendas with local realities, from sustainable agriculture and food security to climate resilience and digital inclusion.

We see IFAD’s collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and other partners as a model of this integrated approach; one that unites domestic achievement with international solidarity. Building on the outcomes of the 4th International Conference on Financing for Development and looking ahead to COP30 next month, lessons from China’s experience in rural development, the green transition, and poverty eradication can offer valuable guidance for accelerated global progress toward sustainability and shared prosperity.

Let me conclude by once again expressing my appreciation to IFAD for its steadfast partnership, and to all colleagues and partners gathered here tonight for your commitment to advancing rural transformation through cooperation and innovation. Together, we can build on the achievements of the past and shape a future where rural communities prosper, ecosystems thrive, and development everywhere is driver by solidarity, sustainability, and shared hope.

Thank you.