BRI – UN urges China to consider developing countries

SEEPHEEPHE MAHAO
BEIJING – The United Nations General Secretary General Antonio Guterres has urged China to take a firm stand in advancing economic sustainability and environmental sustainability in developing countries through Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Gutteres was delivering his keynote speech on Wednesday this week in China where he is attending the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation.
He said developing countries are confronting dramatic financial challenges and are drowning in debt without fiscal space to implement the sustainable development goals.
“It is time to make the global financial architecture truly global, fit for the 21st century. The BRI recognizes that infrastructure for infrastructure’s sake is not enough. The Belt and Road is an important instrument to make key investments a reality, driven by clear domestic demand, and in line with international best practices. Investments should enable resilience and adaptation across national and local planning,” he said.
The UN chief later met President Xi Jinping who also emphasized that at a time when the world is faced with many global threats and challenges, the international community must unite and cooperate and pay more attention to development issues.
Xi noted that the purpose of his proposal to build a community with a shared future for mankind is to find the right path for countries to jointly address various global challenges, and the Belt and Road Initiative and the Global Development Initiative that he put forth are aimed at gathering and accumulating more positive energy to promote the common development of all countries, and supporting the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to ensure that no country is left behind.
Xi Jinping said over the past 10 years since the Belt and Road Initiative was put forward, a lot of tangible results have been achieved, demonstrating the BRI’s thriving vitality.
The BRI has been widely recognized as a global public good and a platform of international cooperation.
The United Nations is a partner in jointly building the BRI. President Xi aso said China is ready to work closely with UN agencies to promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road and contribute to global peace and development.
China supports the work of the UN and UN Secretary-General Guterres, and is ready to enhance co-operation with UN agencies to promote multilateralism, build a multi-polar world, and make global governance more just and equitable.
Guterres said developing countries are in a vulnerable and disadvantaged position when it comes to infrastructure development, investment and financing.
The BRI proposed by President Xi has provided a crucial and effective way to help developing countries achieve sustainable development and set a good example of South-South co-operation.
The eight major steps announced by President Xi Jinping at the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation are fully in line with the purposes and principles of the United Nations, and can help developing countries to accelerate development.
The UN highly appreciates China’s firm commitment to upholding multilateralism, supports the three major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, and is firmly committed to deepening co-operation with China.