China-proposed Global Development Initiative under spotlight at seminar in Vienna

This photo taken on Nov. 28, 2023 shows a seminar on "Accelerating 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through joint global development efforts" in Vienna, Austria. (Xinhua/He Canling)

The Chinese envoy encouraged the members of the Group of Friends of the GDI to strengthen cooperation and exchanges on the initiative, enhance the synergy between their national development strategies and the GDI, and make joint efforts to advance the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

VIENNA, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Delegates attending a seminar here on Tuesday spoke highly of the China-proposed Global Development Initiative (GDI), which they said contributes to the realization of the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

China's Permanent Mission to the UN and Other International Organizations in Vienna hosted the seminar on "Accelerating 2030 SDGs through joint global development efforts," which brought together more than 200 representatives from Vienna-based UN organizations, UN member states' permanent missions here and think tanks.

Li Song, China's permanent representative to the UN and other international organizations in Vienna, said in a keynote speech at the seminar that the GDI, since it was proposed in 2021, has yielded important early harvests, benefited many developing countries, and continued to gain influence worldwide.

Li noted that more than 100 countries and international organizations have voiced support for the GDI, and over 70 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI.

Li Song (C, front), China's permanent representative to the UN and other international organizations in Vienna, speaks at a seminar on "Accelerating 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through joint global development efforts" in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 28, 2023. (Xinhua/He Canling)

The Chinese envoy encouraged the members of the Group of Friends of the GDI to strengthen cooperation and exchanges on the initiative, enhance the synergy between their national development strategies and the GDI, and make joint efforts to advance the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The seminar on Tuesday marked the first official gathering of the Group of Friends of the GDI in Vienna.

Gerd Mueller, director general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), praised the GDI's vital role in promoting the realization of the UN SDGs at the seminar, saying the launch and implementation of the initiative marks "a milestone" in a new stage of global development.

Mueller said the many similarities between the GDI's key areas and the mandate of the UNIDO have paved the way for further cooperation between UNIDO and China.

The UNIDO chief also called on the members of the Group of Friends of the GDI to participate actively in global development cooperation projects and make full use of the GDI and South-South cooperation to promote more robust and sustainable global development.

Gerd Mueller (C, front), director general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), speaks at a seminar on "Accelerating 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through joint global development efforts" in Vienna, Austria, Nov. 28, 2023. (Xinhua/He Canling)

Liu Hua, deputy director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), also noted that the GDI is highly aligned with the UN 2030 Agenda and contributes to the realization of the UN SDGs.

Liu said the IAEA would deepen cooperation with China on the GDI and jointly contribute to building a green, healthy and more resilient world.

Tang Ying, director of the Global Development Promotion Center of the China International Development Cooperation Agency, said on the seminar's sidelines that over the past two years, the GDI has become a catalyst for promoting global development and has injected new momentum into the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda.

Tuesday's seminar was convened on the margins of the ongoing UNIDO General Conference, which opened on Monday and will run through Friday.