I. Introduction

1. We, the representatives of international organizations, governments, enterprises, think tanks and academia as well as civil society from China and internationally, gathered here at the World Harmony House in Beijing from 24 to 25 October 2019, sharing and exchanging knowledge and good practices of sustainable development, and reviewing the progress of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

2. In his foreword to the SDG Progress Report, presented at the SDG Summit last September, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized that ‘we are not on track to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030’. In this context, we welcome the high priority that the Chinese government has accorded to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development since President XI Jinping and other world leaders adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015. We appreciate the effective actions that Chinese government has taken to incorporate the 2030 Agenda into the national medium- and long-term strategic plans, and mobilize all sectors’ active participation in the implementation of the Agenda, especially on the eradication of poverty, food security and environmental sustainability. Significant achievements have also been made in China in terms of controlling the incidence of diseases including ending some epidemic diseases, expanding educational opportunities, promoting gender equality, reducing unemployment and enhancing international cooperation.

3. We are deeply aware that no country alone can tackle the challenges of today. Global problems, such as poverty, inequality and climate change, need global solutions. We are deeply concerned about the retrogression of international cooperation on development and the slow progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. In this context, we believe that enhanced global partnerships, including all parts of society and through South-South and triangular cooperation, are essential to accelerate progress on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

II. Initiatives

4. We believe that enterprises have an important role to play in the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda. We call upon enterprises to align their business practices with the Sustainable Development Goal and establish systems that ensures sustainability throughout their daily operations. That could be achieved through putting in place qualified personnel to work on sustainability from an environmental, social and governance perspectives, by increasing emphasis on sustainability across incentive structures, and through enhanced transparency around business practices. We call on more enterprises to act. We consider the Sustainable Development Enterprise Initiative adopted at this Forum is a welcome and important step towards boosting such action.

5. Furthermore, we believe that young people can be an important driving force for achieving sustainable development. For this to happen, an enabling environment, which supports and encourages young people to actively participate in SDG actions is necessary. In this context, the Sustainable Development Education Base, launched at this Forum, in partnership between the Center for International

Knowledge on Development and UNESCO, aims to build awareness around the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development among youth. However, more opportunities for young people to participate in the realization of the Sustainable Development Agenda are needed, including those that encourages youth to contribute with innovative solutions to sustainable development including education, environment and health.

6. We recognize the continuous efforts of governments at all levels in addressing global development challenges and promoting sustainable development. We call on governments to form close partnerships with all parts of society to strengthen cooperation in areas of climate change and global development. We encourage Governments at all levels to deepen and strengthen the implementation of the sustainable development goals, through measures including construction of innovation demonstration zones, sharing of experiences and knowledge in line with local conditions, laws and practices, and promoting sustainable consciousness and sustainable actions among local enterprises and citizens.

III. A Call for Action to Create a Sustainable Future

7. Going forward, we emphasise that a further strengthened and revitalized global partnership is necessary for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Today, we put forward this proposal with a strong resolution. We, representatives of international organizations, governments, enterprises, think tanks and civil society, are committed in working collaboratively for a prosperous sustainable future for current and for generations to come.