2.The Group appreciates the update provided by the Secretary-General, António Guterres, on the UN80 initiative and reaffirms its support for you and for the UN80 initiative overarching objective of achieving "a paradigm shift" in how the UN system organizes its work in order to deliver greater impact on the ground, as well as strengthening multilateralism and international cooperation amid unprecedented challenges.

3.- The Group of 77 and China remains firmly committed to engaging in all relevant deliberations actively and constructively, with the aim of ensuring that all processes are transparent and inclusive, thereby enabling a more effective, efficient, equitable, and truly representative United Nations system. In that regard, while welcoming the convening of this type of briefings, the Group wishes to highlight the need of in depth intergovernmental consultations, with sufficient time and information and transparent processes, on all the work packages that require Member States decision making on structural reforms. Additional guidance from the Secretariat would also be welcomed, particularly bearing in mind the need to determine which specific work packages and actions should be prioritized this year. This would enable Member States to focus on a limited set of concrete and achievable proposals and, in turn, help ensure the delivery of tangible, ambitious and consensus-based results under Workstream 3 of the UN80 Initiative.

4.- With regard to the merger proposals, the Group of 77 and China takes note with appreciation the decision 2026/26 approved last week, by consensus, by the Second Regular Session of the Executive Board of UNDP, UNFPA and UNOPS, in which Member States decided that the Board is not yet in a position at this time to make a recommendation of support on the proposed mergers between UNDP and UNOPS and UNFPA and UN Women.

5.- At a time of growing financial constraints and increasing development needs, and taking into account the numerous questions and concerns that continue to be raised by Member States across all regional groups regarding the proposed mergers, the Group of 77 and China believes that the necessary conditions are not yet in place at this time to approve structural mergers that would likely entail a prolonged process of institutional restructuring during 2026. In that regard, the Group agrees with the Board's decision to begin exploring alternative options to enhance coordination and efficiency, including through greater operational alignment and coordination, and looks forward to the updates to be provided by the entities to the Executive Board. The Group of 77 and China also wishes to underscore the importance of respecting the prerogatives of the Executive Board, within the scope of its mandate, to assess the information available and decide whether to present recommendations through ECOSOC to the General Assembly.

6.- The Group of 77 and China appreciates the update provided by the Chairs of the AHWG, Ambassador Brian Wallace, Permanent Representative of Jamaica, and Ambassador Merete Fjeld Brattested, Permanent Representative of Norway, as well as their overall work and leadership of the UN80 workstream 2.

7.-The Group takes note of the draft report on criteria and modalities for mandate implementation review, while welcoming the explicit recognition by the Co-Chairs that the criteria and modalities are intended to serve as practical guidance for Member States and are therefore not prescriptive in nature. The Group further underscores that decisions concerning mandates remain the exclusive prerogative of Member States.

Mr. Secretary General,

8.- The Group of 77 and China's remains committed and constructively engaged with the UN80 Initiative, and supports your leadership and vision, as we work together to advance a more effective, efficient, equitable and representative United Nations that strengthens its impact and enhances its support to programme countries.

Thank you.

Mr. Administrator, the Group of the G77 and China appreciates your comprehensive statement, and reiterates its full and continuous support to the vision and direction outlined in the UNDP Strategic Plan.

As the largest end-to-end UN development organization, UNDP is a crucial partner in enhancing and accelerating assistance to developing countries in implementing their respective sustainable development priorities and supporting their efforts to achieve them through collaboration with the Resident Coordinators.

The Group of 77 and China reiterates its grave concern about the 23.3% decline in official development assistance (ODA) in 2025, with a further decline of 6.9% projected for 2026. The Group is also concerned about the 27% decline in core contributions to the United Nations system in 2025, the largest annual decline on record, and extends its sincere appreciation to all 32 Member States that contributed core resources in 2025. The Group reiterates its longstanding call for a significant increase in core contributions, urging all development partners to reverse the current trajectory by providing adequate, predictable, and flexible funding, which is indispensable to achieving the objectives of the UNDP Strategic Plan.

At the same time, the Group recognizes that, more than ever, it is essential to ensure that every aid dollar is used as effectively and impactfully as possible, and welcomes efforts undertaken to reduce duplication and improve efficiency within UNDP and across the system in the context of the UN80 initiative.

As we approach the final years for implementation of the 2030 Agenda, the Group of the 77 and China stresses that the United Nations development system must intensify its support to programme countries to accelerate progress in line with their national priorities. This requires the timely and effective implementation of the Sevilla Commitment, strengthened multilateral cooperation, fulfillment of official development assistance commitments, technology transfer and capacity-building support, enhanced access to concessional financing, debt sustainability measures, and the termination of unilateral coercive measures that undermine Member States' capacities to achieve sustainable development and constrain UNDP ability to effectively deliver its mandate on the ground.

Mr. Administrator,

As you rightly acknowledged today, developing countries are making significant efforts to invest their own national budgets through UNDP, with Government Development Financing reaching nearly $1.6 billion in 2025 and now representing 29% of UNDP's total contributions. Bearing in mind that public resources are already under increasing pressure, and that the international financing required to achieve national development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals goes far beyond what traditional aid alone is delivering in the current political context, the Group of 77 and China appreciates your commitment to advancing a new model of development partnerships that strengthens South-South cooperation and mobilizes the private sector as a strategic partner for development, including through initiatives such as the UNDP flagship Investment Accelerator and the SDG Investor Maps.

Amid a challenging development landscape and the multiple global crises we are currently facing, the Group of 77 and China wishes to reaffirm its full support for you and your efforts to adapt and strengthen the development system, based on national ownership, creative international partnerships, and renewed trust through greater coordination and cost-efficiencies, as well as measurable results and deliverables for Member States.

I thank you.

At the outset, the Group wishes to thank the President of the General Assembly and her Office for convening this consultation on the proposed merger of the United Nations System Staff College into the United Nations Institute for Training and Research. The Group particularly appreciates this opportunity for Member States to engage on the draft resolution prior to action by the General Assembly, which is essential to ensure a transparent, inclusive and intergovernmental process.

Although the Group has no fundamental objections to the proposed merger, a number of questions and suggestions have emerged from within the Group that would benefit from further clarification and consideration before the General Assembly proceeds to a decision.

For example, with regard to OP4, questions have been raised as to whether a separate reference to the dissolution of the Staff College is necessary, in light of the provisions already contained in OP2 concerning the merger and the transfer of mandates, functions, personnel, assets, rights, obligations and liabilities, as well as the endorsement in OP1 of the Secretary-General's report, which sets out the different phases of the transition.

With respect to OP5, given the structural nature of the merger, consideration could be given to strengthening the reporting request to the Secretary-General, including by ensuring that the General Assembly receives sufficiently detailed information on the implementation process, its timeline and the projected cost savings.

The Group would also welcome further clarification on broader implementation-related aspects, including how the mandates of the two entities will be consolidated and preserved within the successor institution.

While recognizing that the final staffing structure will be determined during the transition, further clarity would be useful on the principles that will guide the future organizational structure and ensure that the merger generates genuine efficiencies and reduces duplication, including at senior levels.

Questions also remain regarding the estimated one-time transition costs, the assumptions underlying those estimates, and the envisaged financing arrangements, including reliance on voluntary contributions and reserves.

Finally, given the relatively compressed timeframe between the presentation of the Secretary-General's report, the circulation of the draft resolution and the envisaged implementation of the merger, the Group considers it important that Member States receive as much clarity as possible on the sequencing of the process, with a view to ensuring the highest standards of transparency and accountability throughout its implementation.

The Group looks forward to the clarifications to be provided today and to continued constructive engagement with the Office of the President of the General Assembly and all Member States.

I thank you.