India on Friday launched the first phase of four development projects across nine partner countries under the India-UN Global Capacity Building Initiative, aimed at accelerating progress on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the projects will focus on food security, healthcare, vocational training, and census preparedness—key areas for enabling inclusive and sustainable development in countries across Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean.
Announcing the initiative on social media platform X, the MEA said: “Fostering South-South cooperation to achieve SDG goals. The first phase of four projects in nine partner countries was launched today under the aegis of the India-UN Global Capacity Building Initiative.”
The launch event was attended by Secretary (West) in the MEA, Tanmaya Lal, UN Resident Coordinator in India Shombi Sharp, and representatives from UN agencies, diplomatic missions, and institutions involved in the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) programme.
Highlighting the broader vision behind the initiative, Secretary Lal noted its alignment with SDG 17, which emphasizes global partnerships and collaborative action.
UN Resident Coordinator Shombi Sharp praised India’s leadership in South-South cooperation, stating: “Under the spirit of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’, India is building on its global leadership by leveraging the strengths of Indian institutions and UN systems for SDG acceleration.”
Adding to this, UN India Chief of Staff Radhika Kaul remarked that the initiative is enhanced through collaboration with India’s globally recognized ITEC programme, allowing best practices and expertise to be shared with partner nations.
The India-UN Capacity Building Initiative was first announced by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in September 2023 at the 78th UN General Assembly in New York. Since then, both the MEA and the UN in India have worked together to identify high-impact projects aligned with national development priorities.
According to the MEA, UN agencies will assist partner governments in identifying priority areas linked to the SDGs, while India will provide technical training and institutional support through ITEC-affiliated organizations.
This initiative marks a significant step in strengthening India’s development diplomacy, promoting global partnerships, and sharing its development model with other nations of the Global South.