Vice Minister ZHANG Laiwu met with UN Assistant Secretary-General and Head of UNDP Africa Bureau Tegegnework Gettu on March 4, 2010, Beijing.

VM ZHANG talked about the project of Innovation and Long-term Mechanism for Poverty Alleviation through Science and Technology in Rural China, which was backed by MOST, the Ministry of Commerce, and UNDP. He also expressed wishes that UNDP could continue with its support for MOST in domestic projects concerning poverty alleviation, new and renewable energy, climate change, South-South cooperation, etc.

Mr. Gettu highly recognized the cooperation between UNDP and MOST in facilitating poverty reduction. He looked forward to closer cooperation with MOST in introducing science and technology commissioner mechanism to African countries, and promoting agricultural development, food security and low-cost low carbon technologies.