I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

Co-facilitators,

1. At the outset, we would like to thank you for convening this first substantive informal session of the Preparatory Process for the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, and also for introducing the roadmap and proposing a work programme that will guide our work for the upcoming Conference.

2. The Group of 77 and China would like to state that ensuring adequate and stable means of implementation is not only crucial in order to achieve the internationally agreed development goals, but is also one of the core components of the post-2015 development agenda.

3. The Group of 77 and China reaffirms that international public finance remains the core of international cooperation for development and a main concern of all developing countries. Official Development Assistance (ODA) remains essential as an instrument for development, helping the achievement of national development objectives. Developed countries should fulfill in good faith their ODA commitment of 0.7% for Developing Countries and the 0.15 to 0.20% to least developed countries.

4. In this regard, the Group of 77 and China wishes to reaffirm that the Third International Conference on Financing for Development, should not only review the progress in the implementation of the Monterrey Consensus and the Doha declaration, but also reinvigorate and strengthen the financing for development follow-up process, identify obstacles encountered for the achievement of the goals therein and actions to overcome these constraints, as well as support the implementation of the post-2015 development agenda, bearing in mind that the ambition of the Agenda will be commensurate to the effectiveness of its means of implementation.

5. The Group believes there is need for a strong preparatory process leading to the Conference to be held in Addis Ababa in July 2015, in order to achieve an ambitious outcome document.

Co-facilitators,

6. In that view, the Group considers that the proposed work programme and the roadmap are good proposals to move this process forward, based on which, the Group will make certain proposals when the time comes and according to the dates established for the next substantive informal sessions. It's essential to allocate the proper time to discuss each and every one of the topics, considering they all have an important role on achieving the objectives and aspirations of the financing for development process.

7. Regarding the scope of the process, the Group would like to remind what was decided in Resolution 68/279 on the Modalities for this Conference, that the Monterrey Consensus and the Doha Declaration should provide the conceptual framework, including in the context of the post-2015 development agenda, for the mobilization of resources from a variety of sources and the effective use of financing required for the achievement of sustainable development;

8. Regarding the five substantive informal sessions, we would like to emphasize that Monterrey Consensus provided a good framework which covers a comprehensive range of financing resources, such as aid, trade, investment and debt, which should be considered as a base for our work.

9. The Group would also like to stress, the need to reinforce coherence and coordination in order to build synergies with other relevant United Nations intergovernmental processes and to avoid duplication of efforts, what does not mean that there is need to stop other processes.

10. We hope the co-facilitators could take into full consideration the suggestions from Member States and can come up with a timely zero draft outcome document for to negotiate, in order to have an open, transparent, inclusive, intergovernmental and consensus-based preparation process, to reach a fruitful outcome for the Conference.

11. With that being said, the Group would like to express its commitment to engage constructively in this process.

Thank you.