LocationsWelcome Remarks by Ms Beate Trankmann at the Fourth China and International Development Forum
December 15, 2023
UNDP Resident Representative in China, Beate Trankmann, delivered remarks at the Fourth China and International Development Forum “Jointly Forging Global Development Partnerships to Accelerate the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development".
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
大家下午好，欢迎来到第四届中国国际发展论坛。
Good afternoon and welcome to the 4th China and International Development Forum.
With 2024 just around the corner, the world’s deadline to realize the Sustainable Development Goals – our global blueprint to safeguard people and planet by 2030 – grows ever nearer. Unfortunately, our prospects towards achieving the SDGs are in dire straits.
Just 15% of SDG targets are on track, and progress on over 30% of targets has stalled or even regressed.[1]
Following 3 years of parallel shocks and crises including the pandemic and wars and conflicts, most developing countries are faced with increasingly constrained fiscal space and spiraling debt. The combined impact of these challenges has set back global development progress by decades.
Furthermore, the climate emergency continues to worsen – threatening humanity’s very existence. 2023 is set to be the warmest year on record.
No single country or actor can tackle these challenges alone. Indeed, the recently concluded COP28 climate summit demonstrated the importance of multilateralism with the global community reaffirming its commitment to keep warming within 1.5 degrees, and agreeing – for the first time – to transition away from fossil fuels.
But more must be done, and must be done fast. Only through collective efforts, and by continuing to raise our ambition levels, can we hope to set the world back on a trajectory towards a sustainable future.[2]
That is why the theme of this year’s forum – Global Development Partnerships to Accelerate the 2030 Agenda – is so important.
Strengthened international development cooperation is essential to drive forward global progress on the SDGs, and maximize effectiveness in light of scarce resources and ever-growing demands.
In particular, through vehicles such as South-South Cooperation, stakeholders like China – now among the top providers of development finance, can make important contributions to sustainable development globally.
By promoting two-way knowledge exchanges and demand based cooperation that draws on international best practices and norms, China has the opportunity to help advance sustainable development results in partner countries in areas such as the green energy transformation and green finance, building on its strength and experience.
Other actors – beyond governments, are also critical.
"Only through collective efforts, and by continuing to raise our ambition levels, can we hope to set the world back on a trajectory towards a sustainable future."
With the SDG financing gap standing at around 4 trillion dollars,[3] public development banks, with their 23 trillion dollars in total assets will be critical to scale up lending, and collaboratively explore more effective pathways to mobilize resources for the SDGs.[4]
At the same time, the private sector also needs to strengthen investments into the SDGs including by redirecting finance towards sustainability and by contributing technology and know-how to power innovation for development.
At UNDP, we stand ready to continue leveraging our expertise and global network across more than 170 countries around the world, in convening diverse stakeholders to help advance sustainable development, together with the Government of China and all our partners.
Inclusive, multi-stakeholder partnerships involving traditional donors and practitioners, developing countries, development banks, private sector, and civil society are required to tackle the many global challenges we face, and channel the financing needed for sustainable and scalable impact.
Moving forward, the actions we take over the next seven years, will determine the future of both people and planet.
Exchanges like this one help us in enhancing mutual understanding and provide a platform for stakeholders to collectively advance shared development objectives and collaborate on innovative solutions for the SDGs.
As such, I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation for co-hosting today’s event with UNDP, and to all participants for joining us.
Together, let us strengthen the sustainability of our international engagements, and ensure optimal SDG impact that benefits the most vulnerable, and leaves no one behind.
I wish you all a productive forum ahead.
恭祝本次论坛圆满成功.
谢谢!
[1] https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/report/2023/The-Sustainable-Development-Goals-Report-2023.pdf
[2] https://desapublications.un.org/publications/financing-sustainable-development-report-2023
[3] https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/07/1138352
[4] PDB include MDBs. https://desapublications.un.org/publications/financing-sustainable-development-report-2023
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