Mr. Chairman,

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

At the outset, I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his reports on this agenda item documents A/69/204, A/69/331 and A/69/156. These reports examined the progress and challenges of poverty eradication, industrial development cooperation and women in development. The reports' conclusions and recommendations in those reports provide a good reference point for our debate today.

Mr. Chairman,

The Group of 77 and China express our deep concern for the constraints on the fight against poverty arising from the crises, in particular the world financial and economic crisis, the continuing food insecurity, the volatility of capital flows and the extreme volatility of commodity prices, energy accessibility and the challenges posed by climate change to developing countries.

We further stress that, in order to enable Governments of developing countries to effectively eradicate poverty, developing countries must ensure national ownership of their own development agenda, which entails preserving their own policy space backed by a strong political commitment to reduce poverty in line with their national priorities and circumstances. As such, Governments of developing countries must formulate their own development strategies to assist the poor through policies and actions, including on, but not limited to, strong, sustained and inclusive economic growth, the generation of employment as a priority, in particular for the young population, the improvement of the provision of universal and affordable access to basic services, the provision of a well-designed social protection system, the empowerment of individuals to seize economic opportunities, and measures to ensure the protection of the environment.

The Group of 77 and China believes that employment is a key driver of poverty eradication. However, the long-lasting effects of the global financial and economic crisis and the slow and uneven recovery of the global economy continue to have a negative impact on labour markets in many countries. Although there are some encouraging signs of economic growth in developed countries, developing countries continue to be affected by the slow growth in international trade and more restricted access to international financing. Recent improvements in the global economy have not been sufficient to overcome major labour market imbalances built up in recent years.

The global leaders declared in Rio, two years ago, that poverty eradication is the greatest challenge facing the world today, and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. When we discuss and chart the path and architecture of post 2015 development agenda, it is of utmost importance to ensure that eradication of poverty is at the centre of any and all actions for the coming years. In this regard, the UN Membership must strive to achieve the goal to end poverty in all its form everywhere as contained in the proposal of the Open Working Group on the Sustainable Development Goal. The targets for eradicating extreme poverty for all people everywhere, and reducing at least by half the proportion of men, women and children of all ages living in poverty in all its dimensions according to national definitions by 2030 need to be fulfilled.

A key requirement for helping the developing countries, particularly LDCs in their efforts to eradicate poverty, is predictable and stable disbursement of official development assistance by the development partners. As of now, only a few developed countries have fulfilled the commitment. The developed countries need to urgently achieve the target of 0.70 per cent of their gross national income for ODA to developing countries, including 0.15 per cent to 0.20 per cent of gross national income as ODA to least developed countries.

We recognize that poverty is an affront to human dignity and stress that poverty eradication is the greatest global challenge facing the world today, and we attach the highest priority to poverty eradication in the United Nations post-2015 development agenda to be supported by effective and adequate means of implementation and strengthened global partnership for development, and which entails, among other objectives, the promotion of employment and decent work for all, the improvement of access to social services, the eradication of illiteracy and diseases as well as integrated, coordinated and coherent national and regional strategies.

As we reaffirm our efforts to accelerate the achievement of the MDGs and look toward a post-2015 development agenda, the Group holds the strong view that the eradication of poverty should remain at the core of the future development agenda beyond 2015. We must draw on the lessons learned from the implementation of the MDGs and the continued impacts of the global economic and financial crisis. We must ensure that policies and development efforts targeted at poverty eradication are responsive to the challenges as well as to the opportunities of sustainable development at both the international and national levels. The post-2015 development agenda should reinforce the international community's commitment to poverty eradication and sustainable development.

Mr. Chairman,

The Group of 77 and China express that industrial development and value addition, together with science, technology and innovation, are, among others, essential elements for developing countries to attain higher development levels in a sustained way, as the industrialization process can generate higher productivity, more jobs and skills and positive spillover effects on the economy. Therefore, we urge developed countries to assist developing countries in boosting industrialization in their development strategies and policies and in promoting inclusive sustainable industrial development, in accordance with their national interests.

We call on relevant international organizations and request international cooperation mechanisms to provide adequate assistance to developing countries, including through technology transfer, to develop their capacities to design and implement industrialization strategies and policies, in accordance with their national priorities. We urge developed countries to provide technical assistance, technology transfer and financial resources to enable our countries to industrialize and develop our infrastructure in ways that are environmentally sustainable.

The Group Recognizes that industrialization is an essential driver of sustained inclusive and equitable economic growth, sustainable development and poverty and hunger eradication in developing countries through the creation of decent productive employment, income generation and the facilitation of social integration, including the integration of women and youth into the economic growth process, and that it plays a key role in maintaining social stability and cohesion.

Mr. Chairman,

The Group of 77 and China takes note of the Report of the Secretary-General entitled "World Survey on the Role of Women in Development" which focuses on the theme of gender equality and sustainable development. The Group acknowledges that gender equality and the empowerment and women play a critical role in the achievement of sustainable development, cutting across all three pillars.

Since women constitute an increasing proportion of the working poor, the Group recognizes the importance of addressing the issue of women in development within the framework of the General Assembly's work on economic and financial matters. Gender equality is of fundamental importance for achieving sustained economic growth, poverty eradication and sustainable development. Investment in women and girls, including quality education, has multiplier effects in society, in particular on productivity, efficiency and sustained economic growth, in all sectors of the economy. However, the advancement of women worldwide, particularly in developing countries, continues to be impeded by widening economic inequalities; unemployment; discriminatory wage practices; exploitation; violence and sexual harassment; high level of poverty; intensification of globalization and other transformations in the world economy. To enhance employment and income opportunities for all, especially women living in poverty, the Group believes that governments should promote decent work for all segments of society and strengthen labour market regulations and social provisions to create a more level playing field. In this regard, the Group believes in the need to properly integrate gender in the post-2015 development agenda.

We reaffirm the vital role of women and the need for full and equal opportunities for their participation and leadership in all areas of sustainable development, and decide to accelerate the implementation of our respective commitments in this regard as contained in the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, as well as in Agenda 21, the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the United Nations Millennium Declaration and the Programme of Action of the 1994 International Conference on Population and Development.

The Group of 77 and China recognizes that the potential of women to engage in, contribute to and benefit from sustainable development as leaders, participants and agents of change has not been fully realized. We support prioritizing measures to promote gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in all spheres of our societies. We resolve to unlock the potential of women as drivers of sustainable development through many measures and commit to creating an enabling environment for improving the situation of women and girls everywhere, particularly in rural areas and local communities and among indigenous peoples and ethnic minorities.

We are committed to ensure equal rights and opportunities for women in political and economic decision-making and resource allocation, to give women equal rights with men to economic resources, and to ensure access to education, finance, information and communications technologies, markets, legal assistance and other basic services, including health-care services, including safe, effective, affordable and acceptable modern methods of family planning.

We recall our respective commitments under General Assembly resolution 61/143 and other relevant resolutions on this matter, recognize that violence against women seriously violates all human rights of women, and therefore agree to take action to eliminate all forms of violence, including feminicide and discrimination against women and girls, by means of a more systematic, comprehensive, multisectoral and sustained approach, adequately supported and facilitated by strong institutional mechanisms and financing, through national action plans, including those supported by international cooperation and, where appropriate, national development plans, including poverty eradication strategies and programme-based and sector-wide approaches.

Finally, the Group looks forward to constructive engagement in the consultations and negotiations with our developed partners on the Group of 77 and China's sponsored resolutions under this agenda item. We believe that collectively and cooperating in good faith, we can create a world free of poverty - an ideal world we aspire to. A world that promotes equal opportunity for all and one that has social justice grounded in the voice of the people.

Thank you.