New York: United Nations Resident Coordinator in India Shombi Sharp said that the UN in India is pleased to have an exchange of Letters of Intent with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to launch a new partnership to help amplify India and South-South cooperation.

In an interview with ANI, Sharp said, "We also were very pleased on behalf of the United Nations in India, to launch or to have an exchange of Letter of Intent with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to launch a brand new partnership to help amplify Indian South-South Cooperation. Reflecting that the UN system in India really has a true two-way partnership with India."

Shombi Sharp's remarks came after an exchange of a Letter of Intent between UN-India and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation in the presence of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was held at the India-UN for Global South: Delivering for Development event.

He said that the UN is identifying best practices of India's development and helping to codify that and share that practice with other nations for their benefit. Sharp said that the UN will be working closely with the External Affairs Minister of India.

"We are increasingly identifying Indian development best practices across the country, helping to codify that and share that best practice with other countries for their benefit. So, we're very excited and appreciate the support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation," he said.

"We'll be working closely in partnership with the Government of India External Affairs Ministry as well. Now, this all comes in the context of the General Assembly, where we've been hearing all week that the world is beset by crises. This is very, very clear. The SDGs are in trouble.

We're off track. We're now at the midpoint. We have to get back on track for the second half and this is where India is so incredibly important," he added.

He said that India needs to deliver on some of the global goals and added that they see "progress happening." He said, "We're very optimistic about that in terms of what India is delivering at home, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty, driving digital transitions, just green development transitions as well, women-led development. These are so very important."

"And then, secondly, India's important emergence as a key engine, a driver of development

and SDG achievement across the world through South-South Cooperation, through geopolitical leadership," he added.

He called India's G20 Presidency an "important flagship moment." He said that very important commitments were made on climate action, gender equality, digital transformation transitions, the Green Development Pact, and the SDG Acceleration Action Plan of the G20.

He further said, "The SDG stimulus was supported by the New Delhi declarative duration. So all of these were very important and very timely as they came just before the SDG summit and the world came together here in New York."

Hari Menon, Country Director -India, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, called it "wonderful" to participate in the India-UN for Global South: Delivering for Development event.

In an interview with ANI, Menon said, "It was wonderful to be part of this event, which is really focused on the theme of South-South cooperation. It is something that India has placed a lot of emphasis on over the last several years, particularly during the G20 presidency."

He further said, "We are very glad to have signed this letter of intent with the UN Resident Coordinator Office in India to really look at India's progress and India's development lessons related to the SDGs and how we can create mechanisms for the diffusion of knowledge, best practices and solutions from India to benefit other countries as we progress towards the SDGs..."