Global Summit Targets Sustainable Infrastructure via Belt and Road

The event, organized by the UN Global Compact, produced a new declaration prioritizing responsible artificial intelligence, supply chain resilience, and the empowerment of women and youth in the digital economy. Participants launched expert groups dedicated to sustainable energy and digital infrastructure, alongside 12 specific initiatives covering sectors from green mining and biodiversity conservation to ocean protection and sustainable transport.

UN Assistant Secretary-General Sanda Ojiambo emphasized that meaningful progress hinges on cross-sector collaboration. She noted that the new guidance on green minerals and AI demonstrates how private sector expertise can be scaled across borders. Selwin Hart, the UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Climate Action, urged Chinese financial institutions to leverage the Belt and Road Initiative to export clean energy capabilities, framing cross-border cooperation as the primary engine for global climate transition. As the UN Decade of Sustainable Transport begins, officials including Jean Todt and Li Junhua stressed that the scale of current connectivity efforts requires an unwavering commitment to safety and inclusive, multi-stakeholder governance.