by Ada Zhang

UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- UN officials and representatives of member states on Wednesday called for renewed efforts to realize the right to development at a high-level meeting to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development.

UN General Assembly President Khalilur Rahman said that progress remains uneven while the past four decades have seen major gains in global human development.

"Development is not merely about economic growth. It is a comprehensive economic, social, cultural and political process," Rahman said at the meeting held on the sidelines of the 81st Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Adopted by the General Assembly on Dec 4, 1986, the declaration recognizes development as an inalienable human right and affirms that every person and all peoples are entitled to participate in, contribute to, and enjoy economic, social, cultural and political development.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said the declaration recognizes that "development, human rights and international cooperation must advance together."

Despite progress over the decades, "the promise of development faces new tests," Guterres said.

"Inequalities are widening, leaving countries and communities behind," he said, adding that rising debt, conflicts and economic instability are impeding development and economic growth.

Guterres also pointed to climate change and new technologies as growing challenges. While artificial intelligence and the digital revolution hold "enormous potential to improve lives," they can also become "drivers of exclusion and division," he said.

"This anniversary reminds us that development, human rights and peace are not separate ambitions," Guterres said. "They advance together."

Sun Lei, charge d'affaires of China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations, called for joint efforts to advance common development and create a fair environment for development. All countries have an equal right to pursue economic and social development and improve the living standards of their people, Sun said.

He called for upholding multilateralism, building balanced and inclusive development partnerships, and opposing unilateral sanctions and additional tariffs.

Sun also called for joint efforts to address emerging challenges related to artificial intelligence, climate change and public health, and to advance the formulation of a Convention on the Right to Development. Realizing the right to development is an ongoing endeavor, he said.

Representatives of developing countries also called for stronger international cooperation and changes to the global financial system to address obstacles to development.

Speaking on behalf of the African Group, a Burundian representative said the declaration remains "a blueprint and a reference in addressing inequalities within and between developed and developing countries."

The group called for the "meaningful operationalization of the right to development," stressing that development should not be limited to economic growth but should also include "the enhancement of human well-being and the realization of individuals' full potential."

The group stressed that countries, particularly those historically marginalized or exploited, should have the right to pursue their own development paths without external interference.

European Council President Antonio Costa said development "is not just about economic growth" but also concerns "the rights, dignity and freedom of all persons and their ability to shape their own future."

Sustainable development, democracy, good governance, the rule of law and respect for human rights "reinforce each other and demand the same emphasis," Costa said.

"If we are serious about the right to development, we must also be serious about building a more just, more inclusive and more effective multilateral system," he said.