UN Under-Secretary-General Steiner visits China with intensive schedule, hoping to deepen cooperation in multiple fields

During a recent interview, we learned that Achim Steiner, the UN Under-Secretary-General and Administrator of the UN Development Programme (UNDP), is visiting China from October 8 to 15. This high-level visit aims to deepen and broaden the longstanding partnership between the UNDP and China, enhancing cooperation on global issues.

On October 8, Steiner attended a signing ceremony for a cooperation memorandum between the UNDP and China’s International Development Cooperation Agency, which marked the official start of his visit. The UNDP emphasized that this cooperation framework is designed to strengthen international development collaboration and reinforce the partnership between the two entities, speeding up progress towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and contributing to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

During his stay in China, which includes stops in both Beijing and Shanghai, Steiner intends to engage in a series of meetings focused on deepening collaboration in key areas such as climate change, biodiversity, green transformation, and development finance.

Additionally, Steiner is set to participate in the annual meeting of the China Council for International Cooperation on Environment and Development (CCICED), established in 1992 to facilitate high-level policy dialogue on environmental issues and sustainable development. Steiner has been a member of this council since 1997 and has served as the Vice Chair since 2012.

He will also attend the opening of the 8th Global National Evaluation Capacity Conference (NEC), a biennial event organized by the UNDP to enhance countries’ capabilities in monitoring and evaluating progress towards sustainable development. This year’s conference, co-hosted by China’s International Development Cooperation Agency, marks its first occurrence in China.