GROUP OF 77
GENEVA
G-77 and China Statement
General Debate (Items 4, 9 & 10)
(Geneva, 14 September 2026)
Item 4 -Annual report of the Secretary-General
Item 9 - Implementation of the outcomes of UNCTAD XVI
Item 10- UNCTAD contributions to the implementation of and follow-up to the outcomes of the major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic and social fields
Madame President,
2. The Group of 77 and China wishes to express its appreciation to the Acting Secretary-General for his presentation and for the valuable information provided, which will contribute to informing our deliberations. The Group would like to use this opportunity to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the full implementation of the Geneva Consensus.
3. It has been almost a year since UNCTAD XVI, and 62 years since the establishment of the Organization. Much has changed over these decades, yet many of the structural and systemic challenges to development remain and continue to require our collective attention.
4. Challenges related to productive transformation, development financing, technology, investment and integration into the global economy remain central to advancing sustainable and inclusive development. For the Group of 77 and China, addressing these challenges requires looking beyond national circumstances and considering the broader international environment in which development takes place.
5. International cooperation therefore remains fundamental. The efforts of individual countries cannot always overcome systemic constraints on their own. We must also continue to reflect on how the international economic system can be made more conducive to development and better equipped to support countries in advancing their development objectives. In this context, the Group notes that the imposition of unilateral coercive measures, against developing countries further constrain their ability to advance their development objectives.
Madam President,
6. On agenda item 9 regarding implementation of the Geneva consensus, the Group would like to commend the Secretariat for the efforts it is making despite the limited resources available. Considering the many challenges facing the development pillar of the United Nations, the Group continues to believe and remind others that UNCTAD has the political and technical capacity to make a meaningful difference.
7. The past year has been both fruitful and challenging, as we have sought to translate the commitments of the Geneva Consensus into action. It has also been, in many ways, a first year of experimentation with the renewed intergovernmental process. Different views emerged on how the outcomes of the two Commissions should be prepared, shaped and transmitted as inputs to the annual resolution of the Trade and Development Board.
8. The TDB resolution to be negotiated during this session therefore provides an important opportunity not only to advance our common objectives, but also to refine the working methods for future annual resolutions. It is important to recall that this is the first time in three decades that the TDB would be adopting a resolution. At the same time, these annual resolutions will contribute to shaping the substantive foundations for UNCTAD XVII and to strengthening UNCTAD’s contribution to the development agenda to 2030 and beyond.
9. In this regard, and recalling the understanding reached at the recently concluded Investment, Enterprise and Development Commission, the Group would like to put forward three proposals to strengthen the intergovernmental process:
First, the work of the subsidiary bodies (MYEMs & IGEs) should be better connected. Issues discussed in expert meetings and commissions should not move in silos. Their outcomes should reinforce one another and feed into a coherent, substantive and action-oriented resolution of the Trade and Development Board.
Second, the annual resolution should be built on stronger inputs from the Commissions. The agreed conclusions of the Commissions should serve as important inputs to the drafting of the TDB resolution. These conclusions should reflect the substantive outcomes of the expert meetings and other subsidiary bodies under the respective Commissions. This would ensure that the resolution is member State-driven, policy-oriented and rooted in the full intergovernmental process.
Third, the discussions of the Board should be better linked with the negotiation process. Key messages, areas of convergence and relevant policy elements emerging from the Board’s deliberations should, where appropriate, inform the resolution. The resolution should not be prepared in isolation. It should reflect the cumulative value added by UNCTAD’s intergovernmental machinery.
10. In this way, the annual TDB resolution can become a more meaningful instrument: concise in form, but substantive in content; rooted in expert work but guided by member States; and capable of advancing the implementation of the Geneva Consensus.
11. In relation to the third point the Group considers our agenda for this meeting is of upmost importance. Just today in the morning we participated in the debate on the impact of Hormuz disruptions on developing countries. We discussed the broader economic and development implications of the crisis, underscoring the need to strengthen resilience, address systemic vulnerabilities, and reinforce international cooperation and a strong, coordinated multilateral response.
12. Tomorrow we will discuss the Report dealing with the economy of the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The urgency of the situation calls for every effort to alleviate the tragedy hanging over the Palestinian people. At the same time, addressing the immediate humanitarian situation must go hand in hand with laying the foundations for long-term and sustainable economic development. In this regard, the report presented provides an assessment of the current baseline from which such efforts can be advanced.
13. Moreover, in the next sessions, we will have the opportunity to discuss UNCTAD’s reports on investment, Africa and LDCs. The Group of 77 and China will elaborate its views on each agenda item separately.
Madam President,
14. We look forward to the drafting of this important resolution and to a process that fully reflects the perspectives and priorities of developing countries. The Group trusts that the Trade and Development Board will give due consideration to these voices and that our collective work will result in an outcome that responds meaningfully to the development challenges before us.
I thank you all.