Your Excellency Xiao Jie, Vice-Chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee,
Your Excellency Achim Steiner, Administrator of UNDP,
Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning.
On behalf of CIDCA and entrusted by its Chairman, Luo Zhaohui, I am so honoured to warmly welcome all of you to the 2024 National Evaluation Capacities Conference, which is co-hosted by CIDCA and UNDP.
The global National Evaluation Capacities Conference stands as a premier platform for dialogue and cooperation within the international evaluation community. Since its inception in 2009, this event has been successfully held seven times, playing a pivotal role in supporting nations around the world in enhancing their national evaluation capabilities, strengthening governance and advancing the implementation of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The theme of this year’s conference, ‘Responsive Evaluation: For Government, For Inclusion, For the Future’, will be explored through three plenary sessions and 21 expert sessions. Over the next five days, more than 500 representatives from diverse sectors and over 100 countries will engage in in-depth discussions on key topics such as building robust evaluation systems, inclusive evaluation frameworks, and future-driven evaluation systems and methodologies.
In a world increasingly marked by change and uncertainty, the path towards achieving the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has faced significant challenges, and all nations are seeking peace, stability and development more than ever. Public policy evaluation has become a crucial tool for enhancing governance and ensuring the scientific rigour and effectiveness of public policies. We hope this conference will serve as a timely opportunity for all participants to strengthen their commitment to public policy evaluation, fully promote the modernization of national governance and its systems and inject fresh momentum into global mutual development efforts.
First, we must work together to forge a new chapter in international evaluation cooperation. I encourage all attendees to engage in meaningful exchanges, share best practices and build consensus to draft the Beijing Action Plan on the foundation of the Turin Agenda, marking a new milestone for global evaluation development.
Second, we aim to contribute to the international evaluation community with distinct perspectives from China. China places great importance on building national evaluation capacity as part of its modernization efforts. Following the opening ceremony, we will host a dedicated plenary session showcasing China’s experiences, practices and achievements in evaluation. We hope this will foster greater understanding and support for China’s contributions to the field.
Third, we must seize the opportunity to open new frontiers in international development cooperation. President Xi Jinping’s Global Development Initiative underscores the importance of development as a central pillar of the global agenda. China stands ready to actively promote international cooperation in evaluation within the framework of the initiative, contributing to the Compact for the Future and advancing the achievement of the United Nations 2030 SDGs.
Esteemed guests,
I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to Administrator Achim Steiner and colleagues at UNDP for their outstanding efforts in organizing this important conference. I would also like to express my gratitude to the Beijing Municipal People’s Government and the Yanqing District People’s Government for their invaluable support and assistance in ensuring the success of this event. Furthermore, my sincere thanks go to the governments of various countries, international organizations, the private sector, social organizations and all participants from diverse fields for their active engagement. We believe that China’s rich history and vibrant culture, along with the stunning natural beauty of Beijing’s mountains and rivers, will provide added inspiration and enlightenment to this conference. It is our privilege to welcome you to Yanqing, where we can come together to explore ideas on evaluation, exchange plans and collectively shape the future of evaluation practices.
In closing, I would like to extend special thanks to Xiao Jie, Vice-Chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee, for taking the time to join us today.
