China's Global Development Initiative to play vital role in implementing UN 2030 Agenda: expert

BEIJING, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Global Development Initiative (GDI) will play an important role at this critical juncture in achieving the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, according to an expert on global development.

The imbalanced economic and social development among countries in the world is a big challenge to global development, and the people-centered core of the GDI is of great significance to addressing the issue, Li Xiaoyun, a professor at China Agricultural University, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The GDI champions a global development partnership marked by solidarity, equality, balance and inclusiveness coming from the joint efforts of countries in the northern and southern hemispheres so that no country or individual is left behind in development, Li said.

The eight priority areas of the GDI cover all 17 goals under the UN 2030 Agenda, and over 100 countries and international organizations worldwide have expressed their support to the GDI since it was introduced in September 2021.

Speaking about the global response to the GDI, Li said, "The GDI underscores diverse development paths that are not limited to those of developed countries so that developing countries can choose their own paths most suitable to their specific circumstances."

Projects under the GDI are currently helping 40 countries in areas including poverty relief and grain security, official data showed.

A significant step toward implementing the GDI came on Monday with the opening of the first high-level conference of the Forum on Global Action for Shared Development, which is hosted by the China International Development Cooperation Agency.

During this forum, discussions will be held regarding the eight priority areas of the GDI.