GDI viewed as helping to steer nations toward goals

The vision outlined in the Chinaproposed Global Development Initiative, or GDI, will provide invaluable guidance for developing countries in their pursuit of more people-centered development, analysts said.

The analysts came to this consensus after the release of the Global Development Report on Monday. Issued by the Center for International Knowledge on Development of China, the report reviews the progress that has been made toward achieving the targets set out in the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It also expounds on the challenges that need to be overcome in order for nations to realize the 2030 Agenda.

The report underscores that, in the face of the major global changes and the COVID-19 pandemic, the international community should be more focused on development cooperation and on building global partnerships, embracing the digital and green transformation, and striving for common, sustainable development.

The report also lays out policy recommendations covering the eight aspects of the GDI, which was proposed by President Xi Jinping at the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in 2021.

Austin Ong, an analyst at the Integrated Development Studies Institute, a think tank in Manila, said that as no single country can solve the 21st century’s challenges, the pursuit of common development will be more vital than ever not only for the global recovery but for the growth of smaller states that are bearing the brunt of global inflation, geopolitical headwinds and climate change. The launch of the GDI by China is a “most timely” initiative and “provides an invaluable resource for countries to adapt and localize in their pursuit of more people-centered development”, Ong said.

“The success of China’s reform and opening-up, considered as one of mankind’s modern-day miracles, has provided an alternative, proven model for many developing countries to learn from,” he said.

‘Promoting peace’

Dennis Munene, executive director of the China-Africa Centre at the Africa Policy Institute in Nairobi, said the initiative, with its provision of global public goods, serves as a “powerful instrument for promoting peace and security, reducing poverty, improving the quality of life in developing countries”.

Leaving no country and no one behind, the GDI has forged an international consensus on solidarity and cooperation for further development, attracting the attention of multilateral partnership platforms such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Many countries have expressed their support and willingness to participate in the GDI, Munene said.

“In summary, as the report indicates, the global cause of development stands at a crossroads. However, China through the GDI, is committed to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development of the United Nations, and to accelerating the global post-COVID-19 economic recovery agenda,” he said.