On the evening of 2 September 2026, the “Sustainable Infrastructure for the Belt and Road Initiative to Accelerate the SDGs” Action Platform (hereinafter referred to as the “BRI for SDGs” Action Platform) of the United Nations Global Compact successfully convened its 2026 High-Level Steering Committee Closed-Door Meeting at the Singapore Sustainability Academy. The meeting was held in a hybrid format, bringing together high-level representatives from UN agencies, international organizations, government bodies, financial institutions, leading enterprises, and think tanks. Participants engaged in in-depth discussions on the review of the Platform’s annual work, the release of flagship outcomes, the 2026–2030 strategic priorities, and the finalization of the Joint Statement, laying a solid foundation for the successful convening of the Second Global Business Summit on Belt and Road Infrastructure Investment to Accelerate the SDGs held the following day.
The “BRI for SDGs” Action Platform was launched by the UN Global Compact during its 2020 Leaders’ Summit, in response to the call made by over 40 heads of state in the Joint Communiqué of the Leaders’ Roundtable of the Second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, which urged all market participants involved in Belt and Road cooperation to fulfil corporate social responsibilities and adhere to the UN Global Compact. The Platform is dedicated to enhancing the capacity of enterprises participating in Belt and Road infrastructure projects, integrating the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact into core corporate strategies and cross-border operations, and accelerating the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Platform is guided by a High-Level Steering Committee composed of more than 20 senior representatives from diverse countries and sectors. Through its annual high-level meetings, the Committee reviews the Platform’s progress, charts future directions, and sets the strategic course for high-quality business engagement in Belt and Road cooperation.
The closed-door meeting was moderated by Ms. Liu Meng, Head of the UN Global Compact China Office and Head of the “BRI for SDGs” Action Platform Secretariat. H.E. Ms. Sanda Ojiambo, UN Assistant Secretary-General, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, and H.E. Mr. Stephen Jackson, UN Resident Coordinator in China, participated online during the second-half strategic dialogue and interactive exchange. High-Level Steering Committee members and special guests in attendance included: H.E. Mr. Ong Tee Keat, President of the Belt and Road Initiative Caucus for Asia-Pacific (BRICAP) and former Minister of Transport of Malaysia; Ms. Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer of City Developments Limited; Mr. Boris Kelečević, Deputy Head of the ICRC Beijing Delegation; Mr. David Fogarty, CEO/Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Singapore; Mr. Y.W. Junardy, President of UN Global Compact Network Indonesia, and Mr. Andi Rahim, Secretary General of UN Global Compact Network Indonesia; Mr. Murtaza Syed, Head of Ecosystem in the Economics Department at the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB); and Mr. Xiaodong Lee, Founder and CEO of Fuxi Institution and former Vice Chairman of the Internet Society of China.
Looking ahead to the next four years, the “BRI for SDGs” Action Platform has identified four strategic priority areas: first, advancing sustainable connectivity and green mobility, linking Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America with a focus on electric transport and capacity-building for youth and women in the Global South; second, deepening green mineral value chains, shifting from extraction to low-carbon processing, secure traceability and local value addition, while expanding circular resource systems; third, promoting sustainable health and the evidence-based internationalization of traditional medicine with mutual recognition of standards; and fourth, strengthening compliance and digital governance, covering human rights, anti-corruption, digital public infrastructure and responsible AI governance.
The meeting reviewed and adopted the Joint Statement of the High-Level Steering Committee of the UN Global Compact “Sustainable Infrastructure for the Belt and Road Initiative to Accelerate the SDGs” Action Platform (Singapore). The Joint Statement emphasizes deep alignment of Belt and Road infrastructure with ASEAN connectivity plans and the blue economy, and puts forward actionable recommendations for governments, multilateral development banks, the private sector, academia and youth.
During the high-level strategic dialogue, participants engaged in frank and in-depth exchanges on key issues. H.E. Ms. Sanda Ojiambo, UN Assistant Secretary-General, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, noted that the Belt and Road Initiative holds enormous catalytic potential in the Global South, and that the Platform’s own actions must be equally catalytic. She called for strengthened regional regulatory coordination to create a predictable compliance environment for cross-border business operations. H.E. Mr. Stephen Jackson, UN Resident Coordinator in China, emphasized that with only four years remaining until the 2030 deadline, resilient infrastructure is fundamental to achieving the majority of the SDGs. He urged that the Joint Statement clearly identify responsible parties and divisions of labor to ensure effective implementation, and stressed that the business community plays an indispensable role in advancing responsible AI governance (“AI for good, AI for all”).
H.E. Mr. Ong Tee Keat, President of BRICAP, discussed the importance of eliminating regulatory fragmentation across the region.
Mr. Y.W. Junardy, President of UN Global Compact Network Indonesia, pointed out that water and ecological challenges brought by climate change have become urgent, and that regional cooperation must go beyond traditional physical connectivity and conventional trade toward deeper high-quality and high-productivity collaboration. He noted that with Singapore set to assume the ASEAN chairmanship next year, this is an opportune moment to integrate Chinese and ASEAN resources and deepen partnerships among enterprises in Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia to jointly strengthen the foundations of regional sustainable development.
Ms. Esther An, Chief Sustainability Officer of City Developments Limited, introduced the sustainability framework based on Adaptation, Business Value, Collaboration & Capital, and Data.
Ms. Amy Song, representing GCL Group, showcased low-carbon innovation and carbon traceability practices in the new energy sector against the backdrop of rising computing power driving electricity demand.
Mr. Boris Kelečević, Deputy Head of the ICRC Beijing Delegation, shared practical approaches to helping overseas enterprises manage risks in complex environments.
The successful convening of the 2026 High-Level Steering Committee Closed-Door Meeting further consolidated Singapore’s role as a key regional hub for Belt and Road cooperation and laid a solid foundation for the smooth holding of the Second Global Business Summit on Belt and Road Infrastructure Investment to Accelerate the SDGs on 3 September 2026. The “BRI for SDGs” Action Platform will continue to serve as a bridge between the public and private sectors, translating consensus into measurable and tangible outcomes, embedding sustainable development principles into the management and decision-making of enterprises going global, and accelerating progress toward the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
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