To promote the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Finance Center for South-South Cooperation (FCSSC) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization held the third “One Belt and One Road: Urban Green Economy Development Conference” in Vienna, Austria, from October 9 to 11, 2018. The representative of FCSSC, delivered a speech at the opening ceremony.
“In the past three years, we have been delighted to see that the conference has accumulated more and more experience. Every session has been more successful than the previous one and is gradually becoming a mature forum with international influence. The conference encourages experience sharing and connecting solutions to problems, meeting the supply and demand needs” said the representative of FCSSC. He also spoke highly of the cooperation between the Finance Center South-South Cooperation and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization in the past three years and highlighted that the Finance Center for South-South Cooperation, as an international cooperation platform with special consultative status with the UN Economic and Social Council, "is looking forward to in-depth cooperation with all parties in the fields of funding and urban green development."
Mr. Li Yong, Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, also addressed the importance of partnership at the opening ceremony. He believes that the “One Belt and One Initiative,” which emphasizes inclusive partnerships and cooperation, can be an effective tool for advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. ”
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres sent a video message to the conference. He affirmed the important impact of the “Belt and Road” on the sustainable development agenda and called for “all cities to take action and turn green cities into reality.” He has high hopes for the participants of this conference, "hope to make the development of the planet healthier and more sustainable through innovative and bold ways and sustained and effective leadership."
The three-day “One Belt, One Road: Urban Green Economy Development Conference” brings together 1057 government representatives, business leaders, and representatives from development agencies and academia from 188 cities in 87 countries. It aims to support the implementation of the “One Belt, One Road” initiative to improve cross-regional cooperation and interconnection. Shanghai and Chengdu were nominated as case cities as smart and park cities respectively, Vienna as a livable city, and Trieste as a sustainable example. The four cities set up booths in the amphitheater of the Vienna International Centre to share experiences on the “Belt and Road” and sustainable development with the guests and discuss the results of economic and industrial cooperation.
Since 2016, the South-South Cooperation Financial Center has started to cooperate with the United Nations Industrial Development Organization to jointly organize the “One Belt, One Road” annual urban development conference, aiming to build a dialogue platform for stakeholders to help developing countries find green and new industrialization roads. Innovative solutions and actively promote the circulation of trade and investment on the “Belt and Road.”
