The BRI arose at the end of the commodity boom, where trade with developing countries reached its peak whilst the rest of the world was struggling to recover from the Global Financial Crisis. What are the differences between the two, and why has China decided to push forward this new development initiative?Ĭontextualizing and comparing the separate launches of the BRI and GDI can shed important light on the differing scopes and objectives of these two initiatives.įirst, the international economic backgrounds at the time when these two initiatives were launched were quite different. Meanwhile, the waning BRI is being eclipsed, if not replaced, by the GDI. The World Economic Forum hailed China’s GDI as a “timely call-for-action to address the immediate challenges that threaten our collective ability to deliver on the Sustainable Development Goals.” By September 2022, over 60 nations had joined the Group of Friends of the GDI. In its place is the new Global Development Initiative (GDI).Ĭhinese leader Xi Jinping announced the concept at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2021. The Council will curate and advance promising interventions that catalyse impact and action to address this crisis and can be used by public, private, and civil society stakeholders to drive change.Home Tribune Premium Content Opinion International The Diplomat China’s Switch From the Belt and Road to the Global Development Initiative China’s Switch From the Belt and Road to the Global Development Initiative The Diplomat July 11, 2023Įven as China’s Belt and Road Initiative gears up to celebrate its 10th anniversary, it is fading from prominence. II The Global Future Council on Cities 2023-2024 will focus on the urban affordability crisis – a widespread and multifaceted global challenge that highlights systemic injustices and deepens inequities. In the face of increasing global challenges, from inequality to climate change, how can cities advance and inform more inclusive and sustainable models of urban development? IĜities are the engine of the global economy and home to a growing majority of the world’s population.

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