Sat, September 26, 2026
New York (Web Desk): Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering support for the Global Development Initiative (GDI), calling it a significant platform for building solidarity, promoting South-South cooperation and generating meaningful outcomes for developing countries.
He was speaking at a high-level GDI meeting hosted by Chinese Vice President Han Zheng on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, where he commended the initiative for its forward-looking vision.
PM Shehbaz recalled that Chinese President Xi Jinping had launched the landmark proposal three years earlier, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, when such an initiative was particularly relevant.
In a statement aired by national television channels, PM Shehbaz said the objectives of the GDI were also in line with Pakistan’s own economic transformation agenda.
“Our cooperation with China also continues through the Belt and Road Initiative and its flagship project, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, which is now entering into its second phase. As we approach 2030, Pakistan stands ready to deepen cooperation with all partners under the GDI by replicating successful projects at scale and identifying new and innovative areas of cooperation,” he added.
PM Shehbaz again recalled that President Xi Jinping had unveiled the Global Development Initiative three years ago, when the world was struggling with the severe consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, describing the proposal as one that had been ahead of its time.
He said the foresight and vision demonstrated by President Xi Jinping in launching the initiative were now widely acknowledged, while pointing out that only six years remained before the 2030 deadline and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) was still falling short of what was required.
The prime minister highlighted several challenges confronting developing countries, including the widening financing shortfall for the SDGs, increasingly severe climate disasters and higher food and fuel prices.
He said these difficulties, along with renewed geopolitical tensions, were eroding development gains achieved over several decades.
Against this backdrop, PM Shehbaz stressed the importance of enhancing multilateral cooperation in accordance with the approach promoted by the People’s Republic of China, describing the GDI as an initiative that had come at an appropriate time.
The prime minister said that the GDI framework had already resulted in significant and practical gains for developing nations, reflecting the principle of ‘win-win cooperation’.
He maintained that the GDI remained important for speeding up implementation of the 2030 Agenda and achieving greater progress towards its goals.
The premier also noted that the GDI called for a more representative global governance system capable of addressing the needs and priorities of developing countries.
PM Shehbaz said that the UN Secretary-General’s UN 80 initiatives should reinforce the organisation’s development pillar while also enhancing its capacity to produce results on the ground.
“Pakistan has been and will remain a firm supporter of all these very important initiatives,” he reiterated.
PM Shehbaz said that Pakistan would continue working closely with “iron-brother China” and other members of the Group of Friends to collectively promote the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind.
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