1. Mr. President I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The Group would like to thank the distinguished panel of experts for their briefing on the report and its findings. The briefing and the presence of the members of the investigative panel here before the Executive Board provides an opportunity to discuss the findings of the report in an open and transparent manner. At the same time, the Group recognizes that the nature of UNDP's operations requires some measures of discretion and confidentiality if the organization is to be able to carry out its core development mandate as effectively as possible, in order to reach those who need development assistance most.

2. We are pleased to note that the findings of the investigation panel indicate that the allegations made were baseless, and this would further suggest that they were politically motivated. On this issue during previous sessions of the Executive Board, both formal and informal, the Group has expressed its concern at the politicization of UNDP country programmes, which deliver vital development assistance to millions of people. We remain concerned at this, as we are of the view that such allegations and suspicions are distractions from the work of UNDP and hamper the organization's ability to deliver development assistance to people in need.

3. Mr. President, the investigation has detracted from the focus of UNDP in delivering vital development assistance and capacity building support to the people of the DPRK since suspension of the UNDP-DPRK Programme in 2007. With the conclusion of the investigation and the release of the findings, the Group believes the way is now cleared for the UNDP to resume its operations in the DPRK, and to again focus its attention on delivering development assistance and building capacity for poverty eradication, in accordance with its mandate.

4. Having considered the report, the Group is of the view that it has cleared the suspicions and misgivings surrounding the operations and activities of the UNDP at the country level in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The Group therefore calls for an immediate resumption of the UNDP-DPRK programme.

5. It is unfortunate that the UNDP has had to expend precious time and resources, including financial resources that could otherwise have been attributed to programming, to absolve the organization of allegations such as those which led to the investigation, even after the completion of the audit by the UN's External Board of Auditors in May of 2007.

6. Mr. President, the Group of 77 and China fully recognizes the importance of accountability and oversight in relation to UNDP's activities and the need for member states' assurances that the operational activities of the UNDP remain fully accountable. At the same time, in the pursuit of accountability care must be taken to safeguard the relationship between the organization and the countries within which it operates, and to ensure respect for the views of programme countries on the execution of country programmes, so that much-needed development assistance can reach the poor and most vulnerable at all times, and that the organization can be allowed to focus on its core development mandate of poverty alleviation.

7. In conclusion Mr. President, the Group of 77 and China is of the view that investigations based on politically-motivated allegations, and the suspension of country programmes due to such allegations, should not set a precedence, and the disruption of country programmes should be vigorously avoided.

8. Finally Mr. President, the Group of 77 and China would like to hear from the members of the panel an elaboration on the cost of this investigation in terms of financial resources, human resources, time, as well as the opportunity cost in terms of how these resources could have otherwise been spent in direct relation to development programming and poverty eradication, and the impact on the ground as a result of disruption of the country programme.

Thank you Mr. President.