Madam Chair,

The Chinese delegation wishes to thank Executive Director Lake for his statement and for his review of the work of UNICEF and the outlook on UNICEF’s future direction. We recognize the positive efforts made by UNICEF in carrying out Structured Dialogues on financing the results of the 2014-2017 Strategic Plan, updating the financial estimates for 2015-2018, promoting private fundraising as well as strengthening evaluation, developing or extending over 20 country programs. We appreciate UNICEF's contributions to the fight against Ebola and disaster relief and reconstruction efforts in Nepal.

Survival and development of the child is an important part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Plan of Action. In this connection, the Chinese delegation wishes to emphasize the following:

First, it is necessary to increase the input in program countries’ capacity building and put emphasis on both short-term humanitarian assistance and long-term development. Children and adolescents represent the future and hope of the world, but they bear the brunt of natural disasters and armed conflicts in many parts of the world. We hope that UNICEF can fully utilize its institutional strengths and effectively carry out short-term humanitarian assistance while bearing in mind the need for long-term development. It should follow the principle of country leadership and ownership of programs and respect their real needs and priority areas. Through transferring technologies and know-how to program countries, increasing input in education and human resources development and addressing both the symptoms and root causes of problems, we can help improve the capabilities of program countries to provide social services, enhance health and education of women and children, improve the countries’ environment, eliminate poverty, increase employment, realize gender equality and women empowerment in a way that will help break generational poverty.

Second, it is necessary to develop innovative modes of financing and ensure effective allocation of resources. China has noted that UNICEF’s revenue in 2014 had for the first time exceeded 5 billion US dollars, and public sector revenue had increased by 173% over the past decade. Despite the negative impact of exchange rate fluctuations, private sector revenue still went up by 11% on top of budgeted revenue. China congratulates UNICEF on its financing efforts and the achievement it has made, but we are at the same time also concerned over the continuous drop in UNICEF’s core resources and the flexible earmarked funding. China calls on member countries to increase their contributions to core resources and enhance the flexibility and predictability of non-core resources so as to ensure the implementation of UNICEF mandate in a fair, just and flexible manner. We hope that UNICEF will continue to strengthen partnership building, expand financing channels, innovate financing methods, and enhance program accountability and outcome monitoring so that its resources are used and programs are implemented effectively with quality results.

Third, it is necessary to enhance coordination with other UN agencies and optimize the use of resources by UNICEF. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to be adopted at the Sustainable Development Summit in September is the continuation and an upgrade of the Millennium Development Goals. It provides a clear direction and new impetus for international development cooperation. We hope that within this framework and guided by Delivering as One initiative of the UN, UNICEF will strengthen its coordination with other UN agencies and member states and optimize the use of its resources so as to realize the goals on children in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Madam Chair,

China is the first country in Asia that benefited from UNICEF’s assistance. In the past 30 years, China has worked with UNICEF in 7 country program cycles and achieved positive results in sanitary, nutrition, education, children protection, AIDS, water and environment, as well as disaster response and preparedness. China attaches great importance to the long-standing friendly and cooperative relations with UNICEF and appreciates UNICEF’s positive contributions to improving the welfare of Chinese women and children. Thanks to their joint efforts, China and UNICEF have drafted the 8th country program for 2016-2020 and look forward to its adoption at this session of the Executive Board.

China will continue to deepen its cooperation with UNICEF and look for new ways and plans to solve new problems. We stand ready to develop innovative modes of cooperation, expand areas of cooperation and share our experience with other developing countries within the framework of South-South cooperation so as to make greater contributions to the survival, development and protection of children around the world, especially the healthy development of the most vulnerable children, and to the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Thank you, Madam Chair.