尊敬的尹力书记，殷勇市长、庄荣文主任、傅华社长、刘烈宏局长 

各位领导、各位来宾， 女士们先生们, 大家早上好！ 

我很高兴参加今天的2026全球数字经济大会开幕式! 

(Secretary Yin Li, Mayor Yin Yong, Minister Zhuang Rongwen, President Fu Hua, Administrator Liu Liehong,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

Good morning.

It is my pleasure to join you at the opening ceremony of the 2026 Global Digital Economy Conference.)

When the world adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development more than ten years ago, it set forth an ambitious vision: to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities, protect our planet, and ensure that no one is left behind. 

Today, while important progress has been made, we are not advancing at the speed needed to achieve that vision. 

Only around one third of the targets for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are on track or making moderate progress, while many have stalled or are even regressing. 

With less than four years remaining before the deadline for the SDGs, identifying and scaling new accelerators of sustainable development is more important than ever. 

To this end, one of the most significant developments over the last decade has been the rapid emergence of transformational cutting-edge technologies like AI, which have demonstrated enormous potential to be critical drivers of human development.  

This is precisely why this year's GDEC theme, Building a Digital-Friendly City: Inclusive Intelligence, Borderless Connectivity, is so timely. 

Cities are where the potential of the digital transformation is being experienced most directly. Home to 4.7 billion people and growing, they sit at the center of the digital economy. 

Indeed, digital technologies and data systems are already changing the way urban areas operate – from how people access public services and navigate transport systems, to how cities manage infrastructure, respond to emergencies, and plan for future growth. 

When designed and deployed responsibly and equitably, they can improve service delivery, support small businesses, strengthen urban management, and help communities prepare for climate impacts and other shocks.  

But realizing this potential requires more than technology alone.  

It requires concerted efforts from businesses and institutions, as well as strong governance capacity, to ensure that digital innovation broadens access, strengthens trust, expands opportunity, and contributes to urban development that is sustainable and inclusive. 

Without this, technological innovation can very easily result in a widening of existing divides, and further exclusion of vulnerable groups.  

How we govern and shape these technologies will therefore be just as important as the technologies themselves. 

Moving forward, as digitalization continue to advance, platforms like this one will become increasingly important. GDEC crucially brings together policymakers, practitioners, businesses, researchers, and young innovators to exchange experiences, foster collaboration, and explore how digital transformation can deliver practical development results. 

At UNDP, we are committed to supporting countries and cities in harnessing the opportunities of digital transformation while ensuring that its benefits are shared inclusively and equitably. 

Through our work across more than 170 countries and territories, we are helping governments strengthen digital capabilities, promote inclusive innovation, and develop governance frameworks that enable technology to advance sustainable development. 

Here in China, we are honored to be partnering with Beijing on the launch of the new SDG Innovation Lab in Beijing on Digital Friendly and Digital Economy for Sustainable Development, which will leverage Beijing’s leading position in promoting global digital economy innovation to explore digital solutions for the sustainable development of cities. 

Through this partnership with Beijing, we are also pleased to support the launch of the Global Digital-Friendly City Evaluation Guidelines – a common reference that will help cities benchmark progress, interpret best practices, share experiences, and identify practical pathways towards more inclusive and effective digital transformation.  

In closing, let me express my sincere thanks to the Beijing Municipal Government, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Data Administration, Xinhua News Agency, and all partners involved in organizing this important event. 

May this conference serve as a platform for turning shared ambition into practical cooperation to advance an inclusive digital transformation – one where AI doesn’t simply stand for “artificial intelligence”, but also “augmented intelligence”, helping to amplify humanity’s potential to realize a sustainable future, and put the SDGs back on track. 

UNDP looks forward to continue working with all partners to make this vision a reality. 

I wish you fruitful discussions ahead. 

衷心祝愿大会取得圆满成功。 

谢谢大家。

(I wish the Conference every success.

Thank you.)