China – September 09, 2026 -- More than 300 senior executives, government officials and civil-society leaders gathered at a Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) summit to launch a dozen sustainability-driven partnerships aimed at accelerating the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Summit launches 12 SDG-linked initiatives spanning green mining to ocean protection
The gathering adopted a declaration outlining business priorities across seven areas: sustainable infrastructure, responsible AI, a just energy transition, global supply-chain resilience, sustainable finance, women and youth empowerment in the digital economy, and international cooperation on traditional medicine. Delegates also formed two new expert groups — on sustainable energy and sustainable digital infrastructure — and rolled out 12 SDG-driven outcomes covering green mining, electricity carbon-footprint standards, biodiversity conservation, ocean protection, sustainable transport and women's microenterprise growth, each led by private-sector pioneers.
UN Global Compact CEO says infrastructure collaboration spans borders and value chains
Sanda Ojiambo, UN Assistant Secretary-General and CEO of the UN Global Compact, said resilient infrastructure underlies long-term sustainable development, pointing to new guidance on biodiversity, green minerals and responsible AI issued at the summit. She said the BRI for SDGs Action Platform is enabling companies to jointly develop practical guidance and share expertise across industries and regions.
UN climate adviser calls for scaling China's clean-energy capacity into developing markets
Selwin Hart, the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Climate Action and Just Transition, said Chinese businesses and financial institutions can connect the country's clean-energy capabilities with growth opportunities across the developing world. "In a divided world, our greatest opportunities will come not from retreating behind borders, but from building bridges — connecting markets, mobilizing investment, sharing solutions and creating prosperity together," Hart said.
2026 marks start of UN Decade of Sustainable Transport, road-safety envoy warns
Jean Todt, the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, said the BRI's scale as one of the world's largest infrastructure and connectivity programs must be matched by an equally strong commitment to safety, as the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport begins in 2026.
UN economic affairs chief says no single country can solve connectivity challenges alone
Li Junhua, UN Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, closed the summit by calling for cooperation among governments, international organizations, financial institutions and the private sector to sustain global connectivity, citing the BRI as a model of cross-border collaboration. UNESCAP Executive Secretary Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, UN Resident Coordinator in China Stephen Jackson, and UN Resident Coordinator for Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam Nikolas Myint highlighted the contributions of China, Singapore and the ASEAN region to regional stability and progress on the SDGs.