Source: United Nations (video statements)
António Guterres stressed that, more than six decades on, the Group of 77 and China remains a strong pillar of multilateralism and an indispensable force for global cooperation.
Today (14 Jan) the annual handover ceremony of the Chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China, transitioning from Iraq to Uruguay, was held at the UNHQ in New York.
Speaking at ceremony, Mario Lubetkin, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay said, “In a context of growing international conflict, in which the prohibition on the use or threat of the use of force is being rapidly eroded, Uruguay presents itself as a promoter of peace and an honest broker among nations.”
He also said, “Our approach will be that of a facilitating Presidency, committed to strengthening internal cohesion within the Group and to ensuring that the voice of the Global South remains coordinated, constructive, and relevant in the multilateral system.”
He concluded, “Our agenda will reflect the priorities of all Member States and will aim to strengthen the voice of developing countries on the international stage, moving toward a more equitable, sustainable, and peaceful future—one that is needed today more than ever. ”
Annalena Baerbock, President of the UN General Assembly, commended the government of Iraq for the recent closure of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Iraq (UNAMI) and its “unwavering commitment to peace, justice, and democracy. In these challenging times, UNAMI stands as a clear success story—highlighting the indispensable role the United Nations can play when it works in partnership with a Member State in support of inclusive dialogue, strong institutions, and human rights.”
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, said, “The Group of 77 and China remains indispensable. At a moment when some question the value of cooperation, you have kept showing what cooperation can achieve.”
He stressed, “Your unity is a force for fairness. A force for action. And a force for justice to reshape a system that too often still delivers developing countries a raw deal – on finance, on climate, on technology, and on representation.”
He concluded, “The Group of 77 and China has long been a guardian of that determination. You can count on me to continue standing with you. To press for justice and equity. To defend international cooperation and solidarity. And to ensure that promises made to developing countries are promises kept.”
The G-77 was established on 15 June 1964 by seventy-seven developing countries signatories of the “Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Developing Countries” issued at the end of the first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva.
Beginning with the first “Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77 in Algiers (Algeria) on 10 – 25 October 1967, which adopted the Charter of Algiers”, a permanent institutional structure gradually developed which led to the creation of Chapters of the Group of 77 with Liaison offices in Geneva (UNCTAD), Nairobi (UNEP), Paris (UNESCO), Rome (FAO/IFAD), Vienna (UNIDO), and the Group of 24 (G-24) in Washington, D.C. (IMF and World Bank). Although the members of the G-77 have increased to 134 countries, the original name was retained due to its historic significance.
It is the largest intergovernmental organization of developing countries in the United Nations, which provides the means for the countries of the South to articulate and promote their collective economic interests and enhance their joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues within the United Nations system, and promote South-South cooperation for development.