President calls for Eastern nations’ collaborative efforts to ensure sustainable development

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday called for collaborative efforts by the Eastern nations to ensure sustainable development and common prosperity through China’s Global Development Initiative (GDI).

He highlighted that GDI had great potential to significantly shape the future of the world by promoting shared development and urged the developing countries to play a leading role in the global development process.

The president expressed these views while virtually addressing the 2^nd high-level meeting of the forum on Global Action for Shared Development, organised by the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA), in Beijing, the President Secretariat Press Wing said in a press release.

Representatives of foreign countries, international organisations, foreign companies and non/governmental organisations attended the event, the official news agency reported.

In his statement, President Zardari underscored the importance of viewing global challenges such as progress, development, and health, from an Eastern perspective. He pointed out that most of the global population lived in the Eastern hemisphere, particularly in countries like China, Pakistan, and other neighbouring nations.

The president emphasised that Pakistan was eager to see President Xi Jinping and the People’s Republic of China spearheading GDI, leading the East and the entire world into the new millennium.

It is worth stating that through the Global Development Initiative, China aims to help accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and solve the dilemma of global development.

China is collaborating with global partners to speed up the implementation of GDI by enlarging its friend circle, mobilising resources, and building capacities for shared prosperity.

“China and Pakistan have also signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Strengthening Development Cooperation and Promoting the Implementation of Global Development Initiative, focusing on areas including poverty reduction, medicine, education, infrastructure construction, agriculture, planning consultation, culture and sports, law-enforcement cooperation, and human resource development,” it was further added.