The International Civil Society Solidarity Conference on the Global Development Initiative was held both online and offline on August 12. The theme of the conference is “building a global development community together to help implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”.  President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the conference. Minister Liu Jianchao of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee delivered a keynote speech. About 400 representatives attended the conference, including current and former dignitaries, diplomatic envoys of foreign missions in China, and representatives from NGOs, think tanks and enterprises.

Xi Jinping noted that the global economy is now affected by multiple factors, and the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has been impeded. In face of difficulties and challenges, Xi said only when all sides pull together with firm confidence to combat COVID-19, promote development with concerted efforts, and earnestly implement the 2030 Agenda, can people of all countries live a better life and human society embrace a brighter future. He called on the international community to gather consensus on promoting development, create an enabling environment and foster new driving forces for global development to jointly work for a global development partnership.

Hubei FAO assisted in inviting 68 NGOs, think tanks and enterprises to co-sign the joint declaration of the international civil society on working together to implement the Global Development Initiative. Director-General Zhang Xiaomei attended the conference online.