The United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development covers 17 goals, the ninth of which is "Industry, innovation and infrastructure", namely: build resilient infrastructure, promote sustainable industrialization and foster innovation. 

Under this major goal, there are eight targets, the sixth of which is "Facilitate sustainable and resilient infrastructure development in developing countries through enhanced financial, technological and technical support to African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States".

● Current Situation

About the World

Global Community Steps Up to Boost Resilient Recovery in World’s Poorest Countries

The coronavirus pandemic has revealed the urgent need for resilient infrastructure. The Asian Development Bank notes that critical infrastructure in the region remains far from adequate in many countries, despite the rapid economic growth and development the region has experienced over the past decade. The Economic and Social Survey of Asia and the Pacific highlights that making infrastructure resilient to disasters and climate change will require an additional investment of $434 billion per year. This sum may need to be even greater in some subregions, such as the Pacific small island developing states.     

Text and photo source: un.org

About China

Increasing Development Assistance to Africa

While pursuing its own growth, China supports African countries in seeking development and improving their people’s lives. In the new era, China has scaled up assistance to Africa. Foreign aid from 2013 to 2018 totaled RMB270 billion. Of this sum, 45 percent went to African countries in the form of grants, interest-free loans and concessional loans. From 2000 to 2020, China helped African countries build more than 13,000 km of roads and railway and more than 80 large-scale power facilities, and funded over 130 medical facilities. 

Photo source: sohu.com

China’s assistance extended to various aspects of the economy, society and people’s lives, and was widely welcomed and supported by governments in Africa and the people. China has announced an exemption from debt incurred in the form of interest-free Chinese government loans due to mature by the end of 2018. It will apply to Africa’s least developed countries, heavily indebted and poor countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing countries that have diplomatic relations with China. During the Covid-19 pandemic, China cancelled the outstanding debts of 15 African countries in the form of interest-free loans that matured at the end of 2020.

Text source: China and Africa in the New Era: A Partnership of Equals

●  Cases

About the World

Global Community Steps Up to Boost Resilient Recovery in World’s Poorest Countries

On 15 Dec 2021,the World Bank announced a $93 billion replenishment package of the International Development Association (IDA) to help low-income countries respond to the COVID-19 crisis and build a greener, more resilient, and inclusive future. The funds will be delivered to the world’s 74 poorest countries under the 20th replenishment (IDA20) program, which focuses on helping countries recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 crisis. 

Photo source: cctv.com

In these countries, the ongoing pandemic is worsening poverty, undermining growth, and jeopardizing the prospects of a resilient and inclusive development. IDA will also deepen support to countries to better prepare for future crises, including pandemics, financial shocks, and natural hazards. 

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the World Bank Group has deployed over $157 billion to fight the health, economic, and social impacts of the pandemic, the fastest and largest crisis response in its history. 

Text source: worldbank.org

Flood Early Warning Systems Supported by ITU

Natural disasters are on the rise. However, telecommunications/ICTs plays a critical role in disaster risk reduction, preparedness, mitigation and response. As when appropriate deployed, modern technologies can significantly reduce loss of life, injuries and destruction to proper in this regard. 

Photo source:Uganda Redcross

Uganda experiences heavy rains that cause both flash and slow onset floods. Besides causing death due to drowning, floods destroying public health facilities such as water sources and sanitation facilities. 

Floods also trigger outbreaks of water borne diseases and malaria, hence compounding community vulnerabilities to health hazards. To help address the situation, the Government of Uganda, with the support of the International Telecommunication Union installed solar powered Flood Early Warning Systems to warn residents of raising water levels. The project was able to save lives and increases public safety as the early warning system made it possible to warn affected communities in the case of a natural disaster. 

Text source: itu.int

About China

Assist Kenya with Infrastructure Construction

China has invested a lot of human, material and financial resources to assist Kenya with building roads, electricity, community infrastructure, and rescue and disaster relief. Over the years, Chinese enterprises have built, renovated and expanded many roads for Kenya every year, improved Kenya's transportation conditions, saved a lot of logistics costs, and made Kenya's transportation easier and more convenient. At the same time, the improvement of transportation construction has also laid a good foundation for the outward transportation of mineral resources in Kenya and the surrounding tourism development, promoted the local economic development and improved the living standards of local people.

Photo source: xinhuanet.com

The Nairobi Malaba railway, which connects Nairobi and Malaba, a border town in western Kenya on the border with Uganda, has brought strong impetus to the development of villages and towns along the railway, promoted the development and growth of relevant industries along the railway, and established a platform for regional economic and industrial structure adjustment. After it is opened to traffic, it will turn all parts along the line into prosperous business centers and accelerate the urbanization development of Kenya.

Text source: mofcom.gov.cn

First Africa CDC Aided by China

On 26 November 26 2021, the main structure of the first phase of Africa Center for Disease Control and Prevention Headquarters was capped. The project was aided by China and is the first all Africa CDC in the African continent with perfect facilities undertaken by China Civil Engineering Group Co., Ltd. affiliated to China Railway Construction.

Photo source: sohu.com

Africa CDC is located in the southern suburb of Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, with a total construction area of 23570 square meters, including office administrative area, emergency response center, information center and biological laboratory. When finished, it will become the first Africa CDC on the African continent with modern office and experimental conditions and complete facilities, further improve the speed of disease prevention, monitoring and epidemic emergency response in Africa, enhance the African public health prevention and control system and capacity, and effectively benefit the African people.

Text source: xinhuanet.com

●  Background

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Initiated by the United Nations

On 1 January, 2016, the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including 169 targets, of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development — adopted by world leaders in September 2015 at an historic UN Summit — officially came into force. Countries will mobilize efforts to end all forms of poverty, fight inequalities and tackle climate change, while ensuring that no one is left behind.