Foreign leaders' remarks at the opening ceremony of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres

Infrastructure is the foundation of everyday life for people and economies, from drinking water and basic sanitation to electricity, connectivity and internet access, from public services like schools and hospitals to modern roads, bridges, tunnels, harbors and railways that keep people and goods moving. And yet billions in the developing world lack access to these basic systems. And that is why this meeting and the BRI are so important.