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NAIROBI, April 19-- Strategic partnership between China and multilateral institutions are key to ensure the implementation of Belt and Road projects is ecologically sound, a senior United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) official said late Thursday. Joyce Msuya, acting executive director of UNEP, said that infrastructure and energy projects under the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative have potential to transform the beneficiary countries subject to adherence to global best practices on environmental sustainability. "I think the Belt and Road Initiative, its spirit and objective of bringing infrastructure development, support the Vision 2030 and sustainable development goals (SDGs) to beneficiaries is quite exciting," said Msuya. The UNEP official, who will attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation slated for April 25-27 in Beijing, said her organization will lend technical support to ensure that mega infrastructure projects are cushioned from environmental risks. "The key part of our offerings when it comes to investments, infrastructure, energy and water is to provide capacity building, advisory services but also the intellectual, scientific advice on environmental challenges that may arise from infrastructure projects," said Msuya. She said the upcoming Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation offers an opportunity for multilateral institutions to dialogue with China and beneficiaries countries on how to accelerate green infrastructure financing. | 
