(File Photo: CGTN)

New York (People's Daily) – The 73rd session of the UN General Assembly adopted the resolution “Eliminating Rural Poverty and “Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” on Thursday, two measures initiated by China and jointly submitted by the “Group of 77 and China.”

The move marks a first for the UN General Assembly as it has never previously passed a resolution aimed at wiping out rural poverty.

Poverty eradication is the primary goal of the 17 sustainable development goals set by the 2030 Agenda. In the three years since it was implemented, addressing rural poverty has remained in the forefront of global concern.  

Nearly 80 percent of the world's extremely poor live in rural areas and grapple with infrastructure, education, health care, financial services, digital technology, and social security. 

“We will build a safeguard system, pay attention to vulnerable groups and other aspects to reduce poverty, adopt precise measures to eliminate all poverty, create rural development strategies, strengthen international cooperation, and strive to help the economic and social development of rural areas in developing countries in a spirit of cooperation and mutual benefit. To build a community of human destiny,” the General Assembly said. 

The resolution also requested the Secretary-General to submit a report to the 74th UN General Assembly that would include the issue of “eliminating rural poverty” on the agenda of the 74th Assembly. 

Over the past 40 years, China has lifted over 700 million rural people out of poverty, representing and significant chapter in the history of human poverty eradication. 

China has also become the first developing country in the world to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goal. 

As the largest developing country, China will continue to support developing nations and help them address poverty alleviation in rural areas while accelerating the principles of the 2030 agenda.