STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY MS. PAMELA G. LUNA, MINISTER COUNSELLOR IN THE PERMANENT MISSION OF THE PLURINATIONAL STATE OF BOLIVIA TO THE UNITED NATIONS, AT THE INFORMAL MEETING OF THE HIGH-LEVEL COMMITTEE ON SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION ON THE REPORT OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL ON MEASURES TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN THE UNITED NATIONS OFFICE FOR SOUTH-SOUTH COOPERATION (New York, 26 March 2014)

Thank you Mr. Vice-President.

Thank you to the representatives of UNDP and UNOSSC.

The Plurinational State of Bolivia would like to express a few words on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.
At the outset, I would like to thank you for convening this meeting to obtain views on the Secretary Generalīs Report about the UN Office for South-South Cooperation.

The Group would like to reaffirm the importance of strengthening South-South cooperation especially in the current International economic environment and reiterate their support for South-South cooperation as a strategy to sustain the development efforts of developing countries and also as a mean of enhancing their participation in the global economy.

The G77 and China would also like to reaffirm its position that the UN Office for South-South Cooperation requires further strengthening, including the provision of additional resources for coordinating its activities.

In this context, the Group looks forward to the UN Secretary Generalīs Report on measures to strengthen the Office including the revision of the governance structure, secretariat support and financial assistance which is of vital importance.

We, as a Group, will have a further common position about the issues that we would like to be taken into account in the report.

Thank you.