Latest news with #HaoliangXu
Al Arabiya
17 hours ago
- Business
- Al Arabiya
Invest in aid to build peace in troubled world: UN
Spending on aid is essential to promote peace in times of global turmoil and deep cuts to foreign assistance, the head of the UN Development Programme said Sunday. In an interview on the eve of a four-day UN conference in Spain that aims to rally fresh impetus for the embattled development sector, Haoliang Xu emphasized that investment in aid, trade and defense was 'not a zero-sum game.' 'International development cooperation is critical to build the foundations of peace,' said Xu, noting that a majority of the world's poor live in conflict-hit countries. Rich donors, notably the United States and European countries, have cut aid budgets and boosted defense spending as conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East upend global security. Military expenditure hit a record high of $2.7 trillion in 2024, up 20-percent from the previous year, said Xu. But the Chinese diplomat insisted that it was in wealthy countries' interest to support developing nations despite competing priorities and crises. 'Creating foundations for peace, investing in stability in fragile countries help reduce the burden in countries where you have challenges of migration, for example,' he said. 'Crises in one part of the world will have an impact on other parts of the world that are currently prosperous and stable,' added Xu. Last year, the world was afflicted by the highest number of armed conflicts since 1946, according to the Peace Research Institute Oslo. The World Bank says the number of extreme poor living on less than $3 a day in nations suffering conflict and instability is poised to hit 435 million by 2030. At least 50 world leaders are expected in Seville from Monday for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the biggest such talks in a decade.
The Sun
20 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Invest in aid to build peace in troubled world: UN
SEVILLE: Spending on aid is essential to promote peace in times of global turmoil and deep cuts to foreign assistance, the head of the UN Development Programme said Sunday. In an interview on the eve of a four-day UN conference in Spain that aims to rally fresh impetus for the embattled development sector, Haoliang Xu emphasised that investment in aid, trade and defence was 'not a zero-sum game'. 'International development cooperation is critical to build the foundations of peace,' said Xu, noting that a majority of the world's poor live in conflict-hit countries. Rich donors, notably the United States and European countries, have cut aid budgets and boosted defence spending as conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East upend global security. Military expenditure hit a record high of $2.7 trillion in 2024, up 20-percent from the previous year, said Xu. But the Chinese diplomat insisted that it was in wealthy countries' interest to support developing nations despite competing priorities and crises. 'Creating foundations for peace, investing in stability in fragile countries help reduce the burden in countries where you have challenges of migration, for example,' he said. 'Crises in one part of the world will have an impact on other parts of the world that are currently prosperous and stable,' added Xu. Last year, the world was afflicted by the highest number of armed conflicts since 1946, according to the Peace Research Institute Oslo. The World Bank says the number of extreme poor living on less than $3 a day in nations suffering conflict and instability is poised to hit 435 million by 2030. At least 50 world leaders are expected in Seville from Monday for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the biggest such talks in a decade.
Arab News
24-02-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Saudi fund chief receives UN official
RIYADH: Saudi Fund for Development CEO Sultan Al-Marshad received UN-Under Secretary-General Haoliang Xu and his accompanying delegation in Riyadh on Monday. During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to enhance development cooperation, the Saudi fund wrote in a post on X. Meanwhile, Saudi Deputy Minister for International Multilateral Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Rassi met with Ambassador of Spain to Saudi Arabia Jorge Hevia and the UN Resident Coordinator in the Kingdom Mohamed Zarkani to discuss matters of mutual interest in Riyadh on Monday, the Foreign Ministry wrote on X.
