Statement, on behalf of Group of 77 and China, by Ambassador Yuri A. Gala Lopez, Chargé d´Affaires a.i. at the Permanent Mission of Cuba to the United Nations, at the briefing by the President of the 78th General Assembly on his priorities for 2024.
New York, January 16th, 2024.
I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the G77 and China.
The year 2023 was intense and demanding for the United Nations and world community. Many important meetings focused on addressing the major challenges the international community face today.
For the G77 and China, the outcomes of each of these meetings demonstrated the widening gap in the implementation of key sustainable development goals and commitments. The Group also notes with concern the attempts to reinterpret important international agreements that continue to guide our path.
While taking stock of the progress and challenges in the implementation of key roadmaps such as the 2030 Agenda, we reaffirm that the effectiveness of the current United Nations consultative mechanisms on sustainable development issues should be maintained.
We must strengthen the implementation of the agreements adopted in major international conferences or at high level events of the General Assembly.
In 2024, we will engage in the preparation and negotiation of a number of relevant processes. In this context, the Group considers the following criteria should be closely followed:
- Respecting the intergovernmental nature of the negotiating processes, as well as the practices and modalities established in each case. Any reinterpretation of the procedures is contrary to multilateralism.
- Respecting the inclusivity in the multilateral process. We should avoid overlaps of high-level meetings and negotiating processes that are very relevant for many delegations, especially those representing developing countries. Leaving no one behind also means being inclusive in every process within the United Nations that defines key aspects for the development of our countries.
The G77 and China recognizes the results achieved in the field of sustainable development in 2023. We reaffirm that the achievement of the SDGs in developing countries is closely linked to the provision of means of implementation by developed countries.
In this regard, the Group considers of utmost importance the follow-up to the agreements reached in the Political Declaration of the SDG Summit, as well as deepening the reform of the international financial architecture. We reiterate our support to the Secretary-General's SDG Stimulus Plan and urge for its implementation.
The G77 and China looks forward to advancing intergovernmental discussions on all these issues, as agreed at the SDG Summit. We expect the President of the General Assembly will provide space and time to progress on these discussions, including during SDG Week in April 2024.
The Group hopes that the new Pact for the Future will make an urgent call to effectively address current development challenges like the ones mentioned above.
The provision of urgent technical and financial assistance to developing countries by developed countries and multilateral development banks, an increase in Official Development Assistance (ODA), concessional financing, voluntary reallocation of unused Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to developing countries and a new allocation of SDRs, and the immediate and unconditional lifting of UCMs.
Sustainable supply chains should be built to contribute to the achievement of the SDGs by promoting export-led growth in developing countries. To this end, special and differential treatment for developing countries should be strengthened as a multilateral principle. Unilateralism and protectionism, including one-sided trade protection and restrictions that are inconsistent with WTO rules, should be urgently removed.
In 2024, we will hold important meetings such as the Fourth International Conference on Small Island Developing States and the Third United Nations Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries, as well as the review of the implementation of the General Assembly resolutions on the strengthening of the high-level political forum on sustainable development, which coincides with the quadrennial comprehensive policy review of the operational activities for the development of the United Nations system.
In each of these forums, the G77 and China will participate actively and constructively to ensure that the interests of developing countries are adequately reflected.
Thank you.