Experts from home and abroad at the launch of the Global Development Report 2024 in Beijing on Friday stated that global unity and cooperation are necessary to overcome today’s complex challenges and building a sustainable future for all.
As per Sudheendra Kulkarni, founder and chairman of the Forum for a New South Asia, “All these solutions point in one direction: what is needed is greater global cooperation to achieve inclusive, fair, ecologically sustainable and people-centered development to benefit all the people on planet Earth.”
The report which was issued by the Center for International Knowledge on Development evaluated the global development landscape and delineated the hurdles to achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Zhang Laiming, vice-director of the Development Research Centre of the State Council, advocated the significance of gathering experience, building consensus and dividing opportunities to address these challenges, meanwhile managing overall risks and implementing the 2030 Agenda. He highlighted that such efforts are vital for designing an inclusive, balanced and cooperative global development framework.
The report recommends that technological advancements and the advancement of the Global South presented new opportunities for collaboration. “Renewable energy technologies provide a feasible technical pathway to promoting a global green and low-carbon transformation,” stated Wang Jinzhao, the executive vice-president of CIKD.
Arkebe Oqubay, former senior minister and special adviser to the former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, announced that China, as a global green powerhouse, has cut down transformation costs by over 90 percent, remarkably vanishing impediments in adopting green development strategies for other countries.
Carlos Correa, executive director of the Geneva-based South Centre, highlighted the primary role of the Global South, which at present accounts for over 40 percent of global GDP. Platforms such as BRICS are key to remoulding the international system, making it more inclusive and supportive for developing nations, he stated.
The report pin pointed major challenges in climate change, industrial and supply chains, digital transformation, poverty reduction, food security, global health and development finance.
Kulkarni from the Forum for a New South Asia emphasized the significance of investing in education for future inclusive development. He appreciated the achievement of China’s smart education platform, which captivated more than 100 million registrations within a year of its launch, supplying children in rural and remote areas access to classes in various academic fields.
Wang Lei, deputy director of the Institute of World Economics and Politics at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences declared that,”On one hand, advancements in science, technology, and productivity present promising prospects, On the other hand, gaps in the international order and policy frameworks cause inefficiencies and welfare losses. Effective collaboration is the only way to address this contradiction and unlock development’s full potential.”
“I believe the strategic partnership between developing countries is more important than ever before,” stated Muhammad Habib, a researcher from the Indonesian Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Osama El Gohary, assistant to the prime minister of Egypt and chairman of the Egyptian Cabinet’s Information and Decision Support Center, agreed that China’s Belt and Road Initiative is critical for African countries like Egypt. He said that through advanced satellite technology and assistance in digital sectors like communication and navigation, China has tremendously boosted Egypt’s digitalization and competitiveness.
Moreover, global trade should play a vital role to resolve global challenges, not in contributing to them, said Ralph Ossa, chief economist and director of the Economic Research and Statistics Division at the World Trade Organization, adding that importing goods from countries with lower carbon emissions elevates the efficiency of global supply chains and protects the environment, providing a tangible strategy to address climate change.
Speaking via video at the event, Siddharth Chatterjee, UN resident coordinator in China declared that, “No single country, including China, can achieve the SDGs alone. That is why the UN and China will continue to serve as a convener, a connector, and a catalyst for action, reinforcing partnerships, fostering dialogue, and supporting implementation.”
