Global realization of right to development far below expectation: Chinese envoy

GENEVA, Sept. 16 (Xinhua) -- The right to development is a universal and inalienable human right, however, at present, the global realization of the right to development is far below expectation, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Thursday.

Delivering a joint statement on behalf of over 50 countries at the 48th Session of the Human Rights Council Thursday, Chen Xu, China's Permanent Representative to the UN Office at Geneva, also called upon the UN human rights bodies to prioritize the right to development and mainstream it in the UN system.

The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the economic and social development and people's livelihood of all countries, developing countries in particular, exacerbated inequality and brought new challenges to the realization of the right to development, he said.

"In the face of these challenges, we should pursue people-centered development and meet people's aspiration for a better life," he stressed.

He continued that countries should give priority to development, step up efforts on poverty eradication and inequality elimination and guarantee people's livelihood so as to ensure that development gains are enjoyed on a larger scale and in a more equitable way by all members of the society.

The Chinese envoy highlighted that countries should respect the development path independently chosen by each country, and seek common prosperity through equal-footed and mutually beneficial cooperation.

"We should enhance international development cooperation in the spirit of openness and inclusiveness in order to bridge development gaps and achieve common development of all countries," he added.

Saying that countries should highlight innovation and pursue green development to provide strong support for global sustainable development, Chen also urged the international community to provide unconditionally necessary support to developing countries and safeguard their legitimate development rights and interests.