Global Business Summit in Singapore Launches 12 Private-Sector Initiatives to Advance Sustainable Infrastructure and the SDGs

More than 400 leaders convene to accelerate cross-border cooperation on sustainable infrastructure, clean energy, responsible AI and resilient supply chains

More than 400 business leaders and representatives from international organizations, civil society, academia and think tanks convened in Singapore for the Second Global Business Summit on Belt and Road Infrastructure Investment to Accelerate the SDGs, launching a series of new private-sector initiatives and partnerships aimed at advancing sustainable infrastructure and accelerating progress towards the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Held under the theme "Connect for a Better World," the Summit was organized by the UN Global Compact's Sustainable Infrastructure for the Belt and Road Initiative to Accelerate the SDGs Action Platform, in partnership with UN Global Compact Network Singapore.

The Summit adopted a declaration setting out business priorities across sustainable infrastructure, responsible artificial intelligence, the just energy transition, resilient global supply chains, sustainable finance, the empowerment of women and young people in the digital era and international cooperation in traditional medicine.

Participants also launched expert groups on sustainable energy and sustainable digital infrastructure, alongside 12 SDG-driven initiatives spanning green mining, electricity carbon-footprint standards, biodiversity conservation, ocean protection, sustainable transport, women's microenterprise growth and inclusive global development.

Sanda Ojiambo, Assistant Secretary-General, CEO and Executive Director of the UN Global Compact, said resilient infrastructure would be critical to securing long-term sustainable development. "The initiatives being launched today, from new expert groups on sustainable energy and digital infrastructure to new guidance on biodiversity, green minerals and responsible AI, demonstrate that meaningful progress depends on collaboration across borders, sectors and value chains.

"Through the BRI for SDGs Action Platform, companies are joining forces to develop practical guidance, share expertise and build solutions that can be applied across industries and regions."

Selwin Hart, UN Secretary-General's Special Adviser on Climate Action and Just Transition, highlighted the opportunity for the Belt and Road Initiative to help accelerate the global clean energy transition.

"Through the Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese businesses and financial institutions can help connect China's extraordinary clean energy capabilities with the enormous growth opportunities across the developing world.

"The next chapter of the energy transition must show what cooperation at scale can achieve. In a divided world, our greatest opportunities will come not from retreating behind borders, but from building bridges connecting markets, mobilizing investment, sharing solutions and creating prosperity together."

With 2026 marking the beginning of the United Nations Decade of Sustainable Transport, Jean Todt, UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Road Safety, emphasized the importance of ensuring that infrastructure investment advances safety alongside connectivity.

He noted that the Belt and Road Initiative is one of the world's largest infrastructure and connectivity efforts, and that its scale must be matched by an equally strong commitment to safety.

Closing the Summit, Li Junhua, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Economic and Social Affairs, called for deeper international cooperation to meet shared connectivity and development challenges.

"No single country can tackle today's complex connectivity challenges in isolation. Cooperation between governments, international organizations, financial institutions and the private sector is crucial for keeping us connected. The Belt and Road Initiative stands as a prime example of cross-border connectivity in action."

Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana, Executive Secretary of UNESCAP; Stephen Jackson, UN Resident Coordinator in China; and Nikolas Myint, UN Resident Coordinator in Malaysia, Singapore and Brunei Darussalam, also highlighted the role of cross-border collaboration and the contribution of China, Singapore and the wider ASEAN region to regional stability and progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals.