Addis Ababa, September 21, 2022 (FBC) – Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen said cooperation and partnerships are vital for the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
He made the remarks at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (GDI) on the sidelines of the ongoing UN General Assembly in New York.
He appreciated the Global Development Initiative, which was proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in September last year at the general debate of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly.
According to MFA, the initiative aims to eradicate poverty by rethinking how the SDGs are implemented.
The COVID-19 Pandemic, geopolitical tensions, and the food and fuel crisis, according to DPM & FM Demeke, have all made collaboration in accordance with the GDI an imperative need.
He claims that the challenges that the world is currently dealing with serve as sharp reminders of the necessity for cooperation within a modernized multilateral framework that is dedicated to equity and inclusivity.
Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi presided over the meeting and reaffirmed China’s commitment to carrying out development projects totaling 4 billion USD.
In addition, he outlined the group’s future initiatives to promote the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and urged everyone to work even more together to overcome obstacles.
In a video remark, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says, “The holistic Global Development Initiative is a valued contribution to addressing common challenges and accelerating the transition to a more sustainable and inclusive future.”
It is to be recalled that China’s permanent mission to the United Nations in January 2022 launched the Group of Friends of the GDI, and over 60 countries, including its strategic partner Ethiopia, have joined the Group thus far.
The group looks forward to implementing the initiative together with China, in order to achieve the four goals of re-prioritizing development, renewing commitments to the SDGs, revitalizing global partnerships; and reactivating development cooperation.