(CIIE) Interview: UNICEF representative hails China's role in advancing innovation for youth

SHANGHAI, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- China International Import Expo (CIIE) is an important global platform that brings together governments, businesses, academics and international organizations to empower youth and find pathways for innovation, said George Laryea-Adjei, director of programme group of the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) during the expo.

In an interview with Xinhua at the 8th CIIE, which opened on Wednesday in Shanghai, he indicated that the expo serves as a global public good and creates business activities for young entrepreneurs, particularly those from developing countries, to tap the vast Chinese market with preferential policies.

"Youth entrepreneurs network, share aspirations and learn from businesses and governments at the CIIE, and UNICEF is proud to partner up with China," he said.

Since 1979, UNICEF has worked closely with the Chinese government to support progress across areas including health, nutrition, child protection, youth empowerment and South-South cooperation. During the expo, UNICEF and China's Ministry of Commerce co-hosted a forum on empowering young people in scientific and technological innovation.

Laryea-Adjei underscored the importance of digital empowerment, noting that as the world changes rapidly, today's youth are more informed and creative than ever. However, UNICEF estimates that two-thirds of adolescents still lack the skills needed for the future economy globally, while 90 percent of adolescent girls and young women in low-income countries do not use the internet.

"In the age of the digital economy, China is a leader in new technologies such as AI. Its digital practices can contribute to bridging the digital divide in the Global South," Laryea-Adjei said.

He said that UNICEF has collaborated with China to advance digital education, such as integrating digital resources into classrooms, to empower both Chinese teachers and students. The two partners also support young innovators to apply technology to sustainable agriculture and climate-smart entrepreneurship and many more.

"China has demonstrated success in digital and green transformation. We hope to cooperate with China and demonstrate these experience in Africa, to ensure every child and every young person can benefit from the promise of technology and innovation," he said.

In fact, since 2018, UNICEF has also been working with China in over 20 countries across Africa and Asia to support children and youth, with projects spanning education, healthcare and child protection.

Ahead of the CIIE, Laryea-Adjei also visited Jinan, capital of east China's Shandong Province, which is building a child-friendly city, in partnership with UNICEF.

"We can see that in the city, there are dedicated parks, traffic lights and even innovation centers where children can build up their capacity," he said, adding that UNICEF aims to facilitate the "two-way exchange" for China and its partner countries to learn from each other.

Laryea-Adjei described CIIE as an international platform for building human capital and advancing innovation for youth. "Working together with China, we hope to connect innovation with inclusion, and turn investment into impact for every young person." ■