In the recent years, the global community is focusing on diverse forms of cooperation to enhance the effectiveness of development cooperation. Engagement of the private sector is at the center of the global development discourse due to the growing perception that enterprises can catalyze economic growth and reduce poverty in developing countries. Cooperation with the private sector is also being emphasized in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) adopted in 2015.

In addition, the recent challenges in global trade and investment conditions have demanded new growth strategies for the Korean economy. The Korean government has adopted “strengthen economic diplomacy and development cooperation to promote national interests” and “strengthen strategic economic cooperation and cope with trade protectionism policy” as part of its 100 policy tasks. Coordination of efforts to align public interests and business opportunities in development cooperation is already an active policy agenda.

Against this backdrop, Korea Development Institute (KDI), a global leading think tank for comprehensive policy research and development cooperation, organized this conference to discuss the ways to form innovative partnerships for sustainable development of the domestic and global economy. The event will be an opportunity to discuss the outlook of the partnership development with the participation of eminent experts from home and abroad, and we hope to draw substantial implications for economic and development cooperation strategies of global societies. I thus hereby cordially invite you to the International Conference on Innovative Partnership for Sustainable Development and sincerely hope you will join us.