Implementing the 2030 Agenda by enhancing complementarities and synergies
between the Agenda and the Belt and Road Initiative:
a comprehensive strategic framework project proposal addressing emerging priority areas and needs
in developing countries, including those participating in the Belt and Road Initiative
The proposal seeks to enhance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda by tapping into the complementarities and synergies between the Agenda and BRI and by bringing together existing projects and projects in the pipeline under the Sub-Fund that address emerging priorities areas and challenges in developing countries participating in BRI.
1. Analysis of BRI promoting the 2030 Agenda and SDGs. Review and mapping of UN partnership with BRI by identifying, collecting and evaluating success stories, best practices and lessons learned on how BRI contribute to the 2030 Agenda and SDGs; Publication of a report on synergies and complementarities between BRI and the 2030 Agenda, featuring inputs and contributions from across the UN system.
2. Strengthening the projects’ implementation under the above-mentioned strategic framework, including two sub-projects selected in 2019: (i) Strengthening the capacity of governments and youth employment stakeholders in ECA in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programmes promoting decent jobs for youth; (ii) The establishment and maintenance of a network of selected countries situated along the Silk Road Economic Belt to prevent and combat corruption, and to foster sustainable development.
Launching of “Partnering for a Brighter Shared Future: Progress Report on the Belt and Road Initiative in Support of the United Nations 2030 Agenda”
On 14 September 2022, during the 77th Session of the General Assembly, the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) of the United Nations Secretariat, jointly with the Permanent Mission of the People’s Republic of China, launched the “Partnering for a Brighter Shared Future: Progress Report on the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) in Support of the United Nations 2030 Agenda” in the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
This progress report is the output of a project under the United Nations Peace and Development Trust Fund. It seeks to contribute to the analysis of synergies and complementarities between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The launching of the Progress Report is jointly hosted by Mr. Li Junhua, Under-Secretary-General of DESA, together with H.E. Amb. Mr. Zhang Jun, the Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations. Permanent Representatives from dozens of BRI participating countries and representatives of UN entities participated in the launching event.
The progress report presents data and country-level experiences under bilateral, trilateral and multilateral BRI cooperation, including through cases studies and project outputs. It further identifies the inherent synergies of the BRI with the 2030 Agenda, and its projects and activities that have been bridging gaps across a number of implementation efforts of SDGs, including policy coordination, trade, financing, and infrastructure connectivity, among others.
The report also provides an overview of how various UN entities leverage BRI for accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, in responding to the call of the Secretary-General and the requests of Member States to seize opportunities by the BRI, and to provide capacity-building support to BRI partner countries, disseminating knowledge and expertise. The report finds that these activities have supported Member States integrate the Belt and Road projects in their own economies and societies in a harmoniously and sustainable way, and have brought about preliminary yet valuable data, first-hand insights and case study evidence to inform the design and implementation for the BRI in ways that support the SDGs in practice.
The report entails how BRI has evolved with renewed efforts to strive for open, green, clean and inclusive growth that follows a high-standard, people-centred and sustainable approach. It recommends enabling information exchange between the United Nations and the BRI, so as to fully harvest the tangible benefits generated by the BRI to support the implementation of the SDGs.
