GROUP OF 77
GENEVA

STATEMENT BY THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA AT THE 15TH SESSION OF THE TRADE AND DEVELOPMENT COMMISSION OF UNCTAD: ITEM 6
(Geneva, 28 April 2025)

Chair of the 15th Session of the Trade and Development Commission,
Madam Secretary-General,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,

1. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. We wish to thank Director de la Mora for the presentation. And to the very

2. The Group thanks the UNCTAD secretariat for the comprehensive note titled "Leveraging multilateral trade rules for the sustainable development objectives of developing countries" that recognizes that international trade is a vital engine for economic growth, job creation, and poverty reduction, yet we note with concern the significant challenges that impede full participation of developing countries in the global trading system.

3. This is even more critical in the current global trade environment is increasingly defined by fragmentation, protectionism, rise of trade restrictive measures, geopolitical tensions, among others that block the role of international trade as a critical lever for development.

4. 2/3 of developing countries continue to be trapped in commodity dependency, with limited capacity to move up in the value chain. Additionally, developing countries continue to face systemic challenges, including, limited industrial capacity, high vulnerability to external shocks, widening technological gap, trade imbalances, among others.

5. In addition to that, global rules governing emerging areas-such as critical energy transition minerals, carbon pricing mechanisms, and digital trade-are being set without adequate input from the Global South, risking further marginalization.

6. We stress the urgency of strengthening special and differential treatment provisions in the multilateral trading system. These flexibilities are essential to enable developing countries to adjust policies to their development stage, protect emerging industries, and build productive capacities.

7. We need UNCTAD to continue supporting members in the areas of non-tariff measures, trade in services, trade-related investment policies. We further call UNCTAD to enhance technical assistance to help developing countries implement trade provisions; support discussions on new trade-related challenges, including those related to critical and strategic minerals, economic diversification, value addition and industrial policy.

8. As the Global South stands at a crossroads between growing aspirations and persistent vulnerabilities, it is imperative that we collectively reaffirm the developmental role of trade and work toward a fairer and more inclusive multilateral trading system. The G77 and China remains committed to working with all partners to ensure that trade continues to serve as a true engine of development.

Thank you.