At the invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, I attended the Beijing Summit of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum. The Summit, which brought together representatives from 53 countries in Africa, underscored the importance of a strong synergy between Belt and Road initiatives and the global sustainable development agenda. President Xi Jinping announced a number of projects furthering green development and environmental protection, climate change, ocean protection, preventing desertification and wildlife protection. I was pleased to note that in his speech he referred to the recently launched China-Africa Environmental Cooperation Center as a forum for environmental policy interaction and dialogue between the two regions. UN Environment will serve as the Secretariat for this initiative.
I also visited the China Customs Headquarters which plays an instrumental role in cracking down on ozone depleting substances, illegal waste and illegal wildlife trade. The purpose was to provide an update on the Green Customs Initiative, a global partnership of organizations cooperating to prevent illegal trade in environmentally-sensitive commodities and substances. As a country with vast experience in managing illegal trade, I look to China’s leadership in this important initiative.
