Development should ultimately be judged by what changes in people’s lives. A farmer who loses less of her harvest, a young graduate who finds decent work and a mother who reaches a properly equipped clinic offer more convincing evidence of progress than any diplomatic declaration. That should be the central test as the Global Development Initiative enters its next chapter.
In a congratulatory letter to the initiative’s fifth-anniversary dialogue at the United Nations Headquarters on September 25, Chinese President Xi Jinping called for a people-centred approach to development. He said cooperation projects under the initiative had taken root in more than 120 countries and urged partners to turn the Sustainable Development Goals into tangible realities. These are China’s stated achievements and ambitions; their significance must ultimately be assessed through independently verifiable outcomes.
The message deserves attention because it places development where it belongs: at the centre of international cooperation. But anniversaries should be occasions for scrutiny as well as celebration. Five years into an initiative intended to accelerate the UN’s 2030 Agenda, the important question is not simply how widely its name is recognised. It is whether its partnerships deliver lasting improvements.
Xi introduced the GDI at the UN General Assembly five years ago to strengthen international development cooperation and support implementation of the 2030 Agenda. His anniversary letter renewed that commitment, presenting China as a developing country and a member of the Global South willing to work with other partners.
For Ethiopia and other African countries, the appropriate response should be constructive but practical. Governments should welcome cooperation that expands productive capacity, strengthens public services and supports national priorities. They should also ask precise questions: What problem will each project solve? Who will benefit? What will it cost to maintain? Which institution will remain responsible after external support ends?
These questions do not weaken international partnerships. They make them more credible.
A development project should not be considered successful merely because construction is completed or funding is approved. A training centre needs useful courses and employment connections. Agricultural equipment needs technicians, spare parts and affordable access. A health facility needs staff, medicines, electricity and reliable referral arrangements. The real achievement is a functioning service, not a handover ceremony.
A people-centred philosophy requires more than identifying beneficiaries after decisions have already been made. Communities, local institutions, businesses and civil society should help shape projects from the beginning.
For Ethiopia, that could mean prioritising cooperation that addresses practical constraints facing farmers, manufacturers and young entrepreneurs. The emphasis should be on capabilities: producing more efficiently, adding value locally, developing technical skills and connecting businesses to markets.
Partners should favour projects that can be adapted, maintained and expanded by local institutions. Technical cooperation should leave behind expertise, not permanent dependence on outside contractors.
This is also where ownership becomes meaningful. National ownership should not mean government ownership alone. Public institutions must remain accountable to the people whose interests they claim to represent.
The claim that GDI projects have reached more than 120 countries indicates geographical breadth, but breadth alone cannot establish impact. China and participating countries should publish accessible information on project objectives, financing arrangements, procurement, implementation schedules and results.
Not every development partnership uses the same financial instrument. Public reporting should distinguish grants, loans, technical assistance and commercial investment rather than presenting them as interchangeable contributions.
Independent evaluations should be welcomed. Projects that fall short should be adjusted, not hidden behind diplomatic language. An initiative confident in its purpose should be equally confident about examining its performance.
The principle is accountability: citizens should be able to understand what was promised, what was delivered and what remains unfinished.
The GDI should be judged by whether it helps countries achieve their development goals, not by whether it strengthens one geopolitical narrative against another. Ethiopia should remain open to partnerships with China and other actors while insisting that cooperation serves public priorities.
Xi’s appeal offers a useful standard: make development tangible and accessible. The next phase should turn that promise into measurable commitments. The most persuasive anniversary tribute would not be another declaration, but evidence that more people can live healthier, safer and more productive lives.
