President calls for strengthening public support for implementation of the GDI

 

President Xi Jinping called on Friday for the global community to gather consensus on promoting development, strive to foster an international environment that is conducive to global growth and proactively harness new growth drivers for global development.

 

Xi, who is also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, urged the international community to jointly develop a global development partnership, in his letter to congratulate the opening of the International Civil Society Solidarity Conference on the Global Development Initiative in Beijing.

 

He expressed his belief that international civil society will help forge stronger public support for the implementation of the GDI.

 

Beijing stands ready to work together with different sides to accelerate the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and contribute greater efforts to jointly building a community with a shared future for mankind and working toward a new era for prosperity and development, he said.

 

Xi noted that the global economy is being affected by multiple factors, and the UN 2030 Agenda is suffering setbacks.

 

Only by shoring up confidence, building up solidarity and concretely putting in place the 2030 Agenda can the peoples of different nations live a better life and human society can embrace a brighter future, he said.

 

The GDI, unveiled by Xi last year to offset impacts from global crises and keep global development goals afloat, has so far won the backing of over 100 countries and international organizations, with 60 countries joining the Group of Friends of the GDI, a platform launched by China at the UN for sharing experiences, enhancing cooperation and promoting development.

 

Liu Jianchao, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, which hosted the event, said the GDI seeks to give greater priority to development in the global macro policy framework and build a more equitable and balanced global partnership.

 

"The Chinese people not only hope for a better life themselves but also better lives for people of different countries. Only when the people of various countries live a better life can we ensure long-lasting prosperity and security," he said.

 

Speaking via video link at the event, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed his appreciation of the GDI, saying that it was another visionary proposal following the Belt and Road Initiative.

 

He highlighted the challenges faced by developing countries, especially climate-related natural disasters, which take away the lives of many citizens, hit public well-being and bring about wide-ranging damage to infrastructure.

 

He said he welcomed the GDI in bringing together various countries and jointly addressing the common economic challenges faced by developing countries and giving impetus to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

 

Togolese President Faure Gnassingbe said in a written message to the event that the GDI is a great vision that has won the support of over 100 countries.

 

The initiative has responded to the urgent needs of developing countries for speeding up their post-pandemic recovery and will help expedite the realization of the UN 2030 Agenda, he said.

 

Roosevelt Skerrit, prime minister of Dominica, said in a speech via video link that he is glad that, under the framework of the GDI, his country will benefit in the areas of poverty alleviation, food security, development financing, climate change, the digital economy and connectivity under the framework of the GDI.

 

He said that the GDI "maximizes the comparative advantages of multilateral cooperation mechanisms", as have been promoted by the United Nations, the G20, and the BRICS, among other international groupings.

 

"Additionally, it provides an opportunity to capitalize on a diverse knowledge base, strengths, perspectives and skill sets from different sectors with the aim of transforming new experiences into collective action," he said.

 

He said the GDI must be embraced as a critical public good and cooperation platform, and the initiative is bound to be successful.