Chaozhou, 29 November 2025—To commemorate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (UN), the UN in China and the International Teochew Federation today co-hosted an event in Chaozhou under the theme “Tides Uniting the World, Harmony for a Shared Future: Heritage and Innovation, Shaping the Future Together”. The event brought together senior representatives from the Government of China, international organizations including the UN, leaders from the global Teochew community, entrepreneurs, academics, youth representatives, and cultural leaders. Participants explored how cultural heritage, technological innovation, private-sector dynamism, and sustainable development efforts can collectively shape a more inclusive, resilient, and prosperous future.Li Junhua,  UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, highlighted that Teochew history has been shaped by openness, migration, and entrepreneurship around the world. Teochew communities have built bridges across cultures and economies, while maintaining strong ties with their roots. These qualities are vital for sustainable development today.A key highlight of the event was the launch of the “Harmony for a Shared Future: Global Teochew Sustainable Development Initiative”. Siddharth Chatterjee, the UN Resident Coordinator in China, said: “As we look ahead, a key question guides us: What should the next chapter of global cooperation look like? The launch of the Initiative today offers a compelling answer. By mobilizing diaspora networks, resources, and expertise, this initiative demonstrates how communities can power Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) achievement from the ground up.”Chen Younan, Executive President of the International Teochew Federation, stated: "Faced with global changes, the UN's Pact for the Future has charted a course for humanity. Taking this opportunity, Teochew people worldwide should integrate the advantages of Teochew business into the overall framework of sustainable development; enable Teochew culture to transcend national borders; and unlock the innovative vitality of young Teochew talents on the international stage."Zhou Ruyin, Vice Mayor of Chaozhou Municipal People's Government, Guangdong Province, emphasized that over the past 80 years, the UN has always taken the UN Charter as its cornerstone, playing a leading and core role in global governance. It serves as a crucial platform for realizing multilateralism and advancing global governance. At this important historical juncture, our engagement with the UN in China to discuss cooperation and envision the future carries even more profound significance.During a special session hosted by China Media Group’s Dialogue programme at the event today, prominent Teochew leaders and innovators from around the world exchanged views on how global Teochew communities are contributing to sustainable development, philanthropy, and cross-border partnershipUN Resident Coordinator and Mr. He Xiaojun, Party Secretary of Chaozhou highlighted the importance of forging partnerships, fostering innovation and solidarity, which are critical to address differences and convene different stakeholders at a time of unprecedented challenges. The event formed part of a series of commemorative activities organized by the UN in China throughout 2025 to reflect on eight decades of multilateral achievements, renew commitments to the Pact for the Future, and reinforce partnerships, including with the local governments and private sector, to accelerate global progress towards the SDGs, as a follow-up of the pre-Pact dialogue that we co-convened with International Teochew Federation in August 2024 in Shenzhen, to provide private sector perspectives to the Pact, ahead of the Summit of the Future. 

Editor's note: Nii Quaye-Kumah, a special commentator on current affairs for CGTN, is the representative of the International Fund for Agricultural Development to China and head of the regional South-South and Triangular Cooperation Center for Asia. The article reflects the author's opinions and not necessarily the views of CGTN.On October 24, the United Nations will celebrate its 80th anniversary – a milestone that underscores the enduring value of multilateral cooperation in tackling humanity's greatest challenges.It is also a timely moment to celebrate 45 years of partnership between China and the United Nations' International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the only UN specialized agency and international financial institution dedicated to transforming agriculture, rural economies and food systems. This partnership has supported China's remarkable rural transformation while also contributing valuable lessons to the global fight against hunger and poverty.Since joining IFAD in 1980 as one of its earliest members, China has benefited from 35 IFAD-financed projects, reaching 4.65 million rural families. Through financial support, technical expertise, and innovative practices, these projects have boosted agricultural productivity, expanded access to rural finance, improved market linkages, and promoted climate-smart farming practices.China's elimination of extreme poverty in 2020 represents a milestone of historic global significance, especially in the achievement of the first UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG): "No poverty." IFAD is proud to have contributed to this achievement.As we celebrate 45 years of successful cooperation, we also look to the future with renewed hope. Our outlook ties in well with the UN's landmark international agreement Pact for the Future, adopted by its member states at the 2024 Summit of the Future. It is designed to modernize the international system for 21st century challenges. The 56 commitments outlined across key areas and the Declaration on Future Generations are aligned with IFAD's mandate and work. Ending extreme rural poverty in China is a milestone, but the country's journey toward a prosperous, modern, and sustainable society continues. The challenges ahead include preventing those lifted out of poverty from falling back into poverty, reducing rural-urban inequalities, revitalizing rural areas, and ensuring green, sustainable development. IFAD has committed to support China in resolving these challenges and has, together with the government, formulated a new country strategy for 2025-2030 for this purpose.The strategy is closely aligned with China's national priorities, and focuses on rural revitalization and greening the agricultural and agribusiness sector. It places emphasis on supporting China to generate and strengthen effective and sustainable rural institutions that support poverty alleviation, contributing to regional and global public goods and sharing China's rural development solutions with other countries facing similar challenges through South-South cooperation.Earlier this year, two new IFAD-financed projects with a total investment of about $460 million were launched in China's Hunan and Gansu provinces to enhance production and access to markets, while optimizing environmental sustainability, climate resilience and contributing to China's carbon neutrality goal.IFAD's work in China has evolved over time from traditional investment projects to more innovative and inclusive approaches that integrate climate resilience, digital technologies, and entrepreneurship, and act as a conduit for empowering women, youth, and ethnic minorities.For example, in Yunnan, IFAD-supported youth entrepreneurs have modernized irrigation networks with smartphone-controlled drip systems, dramatically improving water efficiency. Similarly, in Hunan, IFAD financing has enabled 5G-enabled smart fisheries led by young entrepreneurs and researchers.With women making up around half of the rural producers supported by IFAD in China, female entrepreneurs are increasingly emerging as leaders in sectors such as tea production, bakeries, and batik crafts – demonstrating that gender equality and rural revitalization are deeply interconnected. These efforts are taking place against a backdrop of rising global food insecurity. Around 673 million people worldwide continue to face hunger. Vulnerable rural communities are disproportionately affected, as climate change, conflict, and economic instability threaten their livelihoods. With five years left to achieve the 2030 SDGs, urgently accelerating progress on SDG 1 (No poverty) and SDG 2 (Zero hunger) takes centre stage. IFAD's strategy in China for 2025-2030 will contribute directly to these goals, offering models that can be scaled and adapted globally.Looking ahead, China's extensive experience in poverty reduction, forged across diverse geographies and driven by locally adapted strategies, offers invaluable insights for other developing countries which face similar challenges that China faced. There is also opportunity for China to learn from these other countries, thus expanding the knowledge base for effective action through the South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC) mechanism.As part of its strategic priorities, IFAD acts as a bridge for the global exchange of this knowledge and experience, responding to specific country demands, strengthening its commitment to shared growth and sustainable development worldwide.Through the China-IFAD SSTC facility, innovations, technologies and practices gathered from project implementation in China are being shared with countries across Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Innovations such as the mechanized monorail fruit transport system from IFAD's project in Yunnan are being shared through IFAD's global knowledge sharing platform the Rural Solutions Portal.The UN marks its 80th anniversary at a very critical juncture of global transformation where we are confronted by rising and potentially damaging risks. With five years left to achieve the SDGs, and considering the progress made so far, decisive action is needed. A stronger IFAD-China partnership – anchored in rural revitalization, climate resilience, and a reliable SSTC mechanism, will be central to this effort.By scaling up the exchange of China's poverty reduction lessons and innovations through IFAD's global platform, we can provide insights to other developing countries on how they can accelerate progress in achieving a sustainable rural development future. There will also be an opportunity for China to learn from other South countries to complement their domestic efforts.

Energy has shaped humanity’s path – from mastering fire, to harnessing steam, to splitting the atom.  Today, we’re at the dawn of a new era. The sun is rising on a clean energy age. Last year, nearly all new power capacity came from renewables. Investment in clean energy soared to $2 trillion – $800 billion more than fossil fuels. Solar and wind are now the cheapest sources of power on Earth, and clean energy sectors are creating jobs, boosting growth and powering progress -- despite fossil fuels still receiving far greater subsidies.Countries that cling to fossil fuels are not protecting their economies, they are sabotaging them – undermining competitiveness, and missing the greatest economic opportunity of the 21st century. Clean energy also delivers energy sovereignty and security. Fossil fuel markets are at the mercy of price shocks, supply disruptions, and geopolitical turmoil, as we saw when Russia invaded Ukraine. But there are no price spikes for sunlight, no embargoes on wind, and almost every nation has enough renewable resources to be energy self-sufficient. Finally, clean energy spurs development.  It can reach the hundreds of millions of people still living without electricity -- quickly, affordably and sustainably, particularly through off-grid and small-scale solar technologies.All this makes the clean energy era unstoppable. But the transition is not yet fast or fair enough. Developing countries are being left behind.  Fossil fuels still dominate energy systems, and emissions are still rising when they must plummet to avoid the worst of the climate crisis. To fix this, we need action on six fronts. First, governments must fully commit to the clean energy future.  In the coming months, every country has pledged to submit new national climate plans – known as Nationally Determined Contributions – with targets for the next decade. These plans must align with limiting global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius, cover all emissions and sectors, and lay out a clear path to clean energy. G20 countries, responsible for around 80% of global emissions, must lead.Second, we must build 21st century energy systems. Without modern grids and storage, renewable power can’t fulfill its potential. But for every dollar invested in renewable power, just 60 cents go to grids and storage. That ratio needs to be one- to-one. Third, governments must aim to meet the world’s surging energy demand with renewables. Major tech companies must also play their part. By 2030, data centres could consume as much electricity as Japan does today. Companies should commit to power them with renewables. Fourth, we must embed justice in the energy transition. This means supporting communities still dependent on fossil fuels to prepare for the clean energy future. And it means reforming critical minerals supply chains. Today, they’re riddled with rights abuses and environmental destruction, and developing countries are trapped at the bottom of value chains. This must end. Fifth, we must make trade a tool for energy transformation. Clean energy supply chains are highly concentrated and global trade is fragmenting. Countries committed to the new energy era must work to diversify supplies, cut tariffs on clean energy goods, and modernize investment treaties so they support the transition. Sixth and finally, we must drive finance to developing countries. Africa received just two percent of renewables investment last year, despite having 60% of the world’s best solar resources. We need international action – to prevent debt repayments sucking developing country budgets dry, and to enable multilateral development banks to substantially increase their lending capacity, and leverage far more private finance. We also need credit rating agencies and investors to modernise risk assessments, to account for the promise of clean energy, the cost of climate chaos, and the danger of stranded fossil fuel assets.A new energy era is within reach – an era where cheap, clean abundant energy powers a world rich in economic opportunity, where nations have the security of energy autonomy, and the gift of electricity is a gift for all. This is our moment of opportunity to supercharge the global shift. Let’s seize it. 

As the world grapples with rising protectionism, volatile markets and persistent geopolitical tensions, the stakes for developing countries have never been higher. The future of inclusive, sustainable development – and with it, the prospects for billions of people – hinges on affordable, long-term financing. Against this urgent backdrop, the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4), taking place in Seville, Spain, from June 30 to July 3, presents a vital opportunity for coordinated global action.Multiple crises have reshaped the global financing landscape over the past two decades since the first International Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey, Mexico, in 2002. Financing gaps have widened, official development assistance is declining, and private capital is retreating. Debt burdens are soaring: Nearly 40 percent of developing countries spend over 10 percent of their revenues on interest payments. Developing economies, especially those of the least developed and low-income countries, are increasingly being left behind. As a result, even as the cost of inaction mounts, the space for investment in critical areas like rural transformation, food systems and climate resilience is shrinking.The international community, particularly international financial institutions (IFIs) such as the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), plays a critical role. As a UN specialized agency and an IFI in its own right, IFAD brings a unique perspective that connects the multilateral development agenda with tailored, country-level financing solutions focused exclusively on agrifood systems and rural development. We work where the needs are greatest and the returns are highest. But like other institutions, we face the challenge of doing more with less in an increasingly constrained environment. FfD4 must deliver solutions that go beyond business as usual. Key emerging priorities in the process, such as domestic resource mobilization, increased private sector engagement, stronger multilateral development banks (MDBs) and systemic reforms of the international financial architecture, speak directly to IFAD's strengths. Our track record in fostering inclusive financial ecosystems, expanding market access, and building rural resilience positions us to be a central player in shaping a forward-looking financing agenda.Among the key solutions to creating a fairer and more inclusive financial architecture are three closely interlinked priorities. First, we must unlock greater private and public investment in rural development by supporting governments in creating stable, predictable environments that attract private capital to high-impact sectors.IFAD partners with public development banks (PDBs) through the AgriPDB Platform to strengthen their role in rural finance. With 522 PDBs holding $23.2 trillion and providing two-thirds of agricultural financing, IFAD supports innovative financing, such as on-lending in West Africa, and has made its first direct loan to Brazil's National Bank for Economic and Social Development to promote small-scale agriculture and climate finance.Since 2006, IFAD has also supported over 70 remittance-linked projects in 50 countries, launching initiatives with Italy and the EU to enhance remittances for rural resilience, inclusion and climate adaptation. Viewing remittances not just as private flows but as de facto public goods, IFAD urges governments to integrate them into development plans, foster competitive services and expand rural access to remittance-linked financial products. Scaling successful models through partnerships is crucial to expanding their impact.Second, we must address the current debt crisis and structural barriers that constrain sustainable development. IFAD supports countries in freeing up fiscal space through innovative instruments, while aligning investments with country-level strategic priorities.By channeling resources into rural areas, we help reduce debt-to-GDP ratios through initiatives that generate decent jobs for young people, support local food production and markets, build resilience to climate shocks and expand inclusive economic opportunities. Central to this effort is better leveraging concessional finance. IFAD's mandate is to mobilize and deliver concessional resources for agricultural investments in the poorest and most fragile settings.As an assembler of finance, we blend local, regional and global public and private funds to deliver grants and loans on highly concessional terms, ensuring that critical investments are responsive to local needs and reach those who need them most.Third, we must strengthen impact measurement and accountability by first supporting decision-makers in tracking, allocating resources and optimizing financing flows for food systems transformation, and second, ensuring accountability for the use of resources through systematic tracking and reporting on results and impact.IFAD leads in this area through its "3FS" methodology – Financial Flows to Food Systems – which aims to direct more and better financing to the food systems that underpin rural livelihoods, climate resilience and sustainable economic growth. This approach strengthens the case for coordinated investment in food security, nutrition and inclusive rural transformation, particularly in the face of widening financing gaps.Complementing this, IFAD systematically conducts rigorous impact assessments on a representative sample of at least 15 percent of its portfolio per replenishment cycle, making it the only international financial institution to apply such a comprehensive and consistent approach. We can demonstrate that our investments improved the incomes of 77.4 million rural people by at least 10 percent over a three-year period.The Global South is increasingly shaping the international financing for development landscape, not only as recipients of grants and concessional finance but also as emerging donors and knowledge partners. Through South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC), countries such as China are helping generate and scale up evidence-based solutions across developing regions.China has positioned itself as a global champion of SSTC, particularly within IFAD's framework. Its leadership is exemplified by a $20 million contribution to the IFAD-China SSTC Facility, which supports the exchange of innovative, context-relevant solutions across countries of the Global South. This facility has become a vital mechanism for mobilizing expertise, technology and practical approaches to rural transformation.Beyond financial support, China is actively facilitating global learning and peer exchange. A recent example is the SSTC learning event held in Fenghuang County, Hunan Province, where technology-driven, innovative solutions for rural women's empowerment, developed under IFAD-financed projects, were shared with a global audience. This underscores SSTC's potential as a catalyst for innovation and scaling up in digital agriculture and rural development.These grassroots experiences in Fenghuang are not only revitalizing local communities but also offering practical lessons for other developing countries. As China deepens its contribution to SSTC, such stories of inclusive rural transformation will resonate far beyond its borders and provide valuable inspiration for global conversations at FfD4.Now is the time to intensify our collective efforts and unlock the full potential of rural economies through scaled-up investment. The Addis Ababa Action Agenda adopted in 2015 explicitly recognized IFAD's vital role in mobilizing investments that enable rural people living in poverty to improve food security, nutrition, incomes and resilience, affirming IFAD as a key partner in shaping the international financing for development architecture.As we approach FfD4, there is a critical opportunity to agree on policies that close the financing gap, not just by increasing funds, but by ensuring finance is long-term, predictable and meets the needs of the most vulnerable. IFAD is ready to work with governments, including China, partners and the private sector to make development finance more inclusive, effective and resilient.