Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Distinguished Guests,

It is an honour and a pleasure to address this distinguished audience at today’s event organized by the Ministry of Commerce of China in the framework of the 3rd Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. 

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Belt and Road Initiative. The success and achievements of the Initiative have been highlighted in many areas, especially infrastructure development, trade connectivity and investment promotion.

UNIDO is a strong partner in implementation, especially in technical cooperation. China is a key partner of the global community in implementing the SDG agenda and the Paris Climate Agreement. Taken together, our shared global challenges - ending hunger and poverty, combating climate change, protecting global public goods - call for global solidarity and cooperation. In particular, the industrialized countries are also called upon to honour their international commitments and obligations towards the countries of the Global South.

China is rightly proud of its successful economic development over the past decades. Now as a strong partner of the countries of the Global South, China invests in infrastructure, innovation and economic development in developing countries. With China and the BRI as partner, UNIDO wants to do bold, innovative projects. Large-scale, flagship projects that set an example to the world and show how development can be accelerated, like the Chinese model. Together we can maximize the positive effects of the BRI in developing countries, reducing poverty and creating jobs.

Ladies and Gentlemen, 

The Belt and Road Initiative is actively contributing towards the achievement of the SDGs. It can play a significant role in closing the financial gap to boost investments in energy, industry, infrastructure and climate resilience.

On the other hand, for the BRI to realize its full potential, measures and instruments need to be in place to ensure the environmental, social and financial sustainability of such investments. Initiatives like ‘Bridge for Cities’, the development of industrial parks, small hydropower, and hydrogen technologies serve as concrete models of our cooperation for fostering inclusive economic growth.

UNIDO’s own projects support member states in Asia and the Pacific, Africa, Central Asia and Latin America. We focus strongly on knowledge and technology sharing for green industrial development. That means renewable energies, hydrogen, and energy saving technologies.

With the Belt and Road Initiative, China has succeeded in implementing important economic development projects. In particularly the importance of the BRI alignment with SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure), SDG 13 (Climate Action) and SDG17 (Partnerships for the Goals) is for the future particularly evident.

Moreover, the Global Development Initiative – GDI - announced by President Xi Jinping is also of great importance. With it, China is making another important contribution to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda. It promotes the realization of a strong green and sustainable industrialization and development. UNIDO thanks the Chinese Government for its successful cooperation and support. UNIDO is ready to strengthen this cooperation with new projects in a new quality of cooperation in the near future.

Thank you so much!