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 commend you and the Bureau for starting off the year 2016 efficiently by implementing General Assembly decision 70/548 which decides that the Second Committee convene a meeting in early 2016 to continue its discussion on the revitalization of the work of the Committee.

The Group of 77 and China is of the view that it is an opportune time to discuss this important issue in an organized, holistic and comprehensive manner. We look forward to engaging constructively in this exercise with the aim to strengthen the work of the Second Committee in the context of the broader United Nations system.

Mr. Chairman,

The Group of 77 and China wishes to respond to the topic outlined for today's organizational meeting as follows:

First, development must remain at the core of the work of the Second Committee.

The Group of 77 and China firmly believes that the agenda of the Second Committee must be rooted in advancing development. It is therefore crucial that the path we take enhances rather than detracts from this Committee's focus on and engagement with development. Taking into account that informal consultations may require meticulous planning and dedicated time, we must ensure that the richness and quality of the agenda of the Second Committee is not lost in a quest for efficiency. Careful consideration of this matter is necessary.

Second, the broad parameters of the process must underscore the Second Committee's ultimate objective which is to facilitate the implementation of the commitments that have resulted from various processes.

It is critical that the work of the Second Committee builds on the development priorities we have set for ourselves, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the programmes of action for countries in special situations, and the Paris Agreement. We acknowledge the need to reflect on the current agenda of the Second Committee. However, this does not mean a "move beyond the past". On the contrary, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development duly established, as a matter of principle, which, inter alia, states that "the follow-up and review will build on existing platforms and processes, where these exist". The Second Committee is such a platform and process, and has to be made ready for this task.

Third, the Second Committee should have a role in the coherent, efficient and inclusive follow-up and review process of those priority commitments at the global level.

The Group of 77 and China underscores that the General Assembly is the only inter-governmental body ensuring universal participation for a systematic follow-up and review of the implementation of an Agenda predicated on leaving no one behind. Taking into consideration the "Report of the Secretary-General on critical milestones towards coherent, efficient, and inclusive follow-up and review at the global level", the Group of 77 and China is of the view that the Second Committee should take the lead by constructively aligning its resolutions with the implementation of both the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda respectively, in accordance with existing mandates, in order to systematically support and inform the oversight of the High-level Political Forum.

In addition, those development priorities we have set for ourselves, including the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the programmes of action for countries in special situations, and the Paris Agreement, should guide the work of the Second Committee.

Fourth, in order to ensure coherence and eliminate duplication of work, this revitalization exercise must be undertaken in relationship with the ECOSOC and other main committees of the General Assembly.

The next phase of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) dialogues on the longer-term positioning of the United Nations Development System, in the context of the 2030 Agenda and the upcoming Operational Activities Segment, will soon take place. We look forward to these discussions in view of the next Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review (QCPR) later this year. We wish to draw attention to the 2030 Agenda which we attach high importance to. We are of the view that the Agenda is broad and far-reaching beyond the remit of the Second Committee; therefore, this discussion must also extend to not only how the work of the Second Committee should be reformed, but how it will complement the work of the other Committees and the HLPF, in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Furthermore, we request that this revitalization exercise strive to explore synergies in the work of the Second Committee and the United Nations Development System with the High-level Political Forum.

The HLPF has a central role in overseeing a network of follow-up and review processes at the global level, and is tasked with promoting system-wide coherence and coordination of sustainable development policies in the implementation of the 2030 agenda. These discussions are critical in allowing Member States to articulate their positions and share their views on strengthening the United Nations Development system to ensure coherent and integrated support in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

Mr. Chairman,

Coming back to the tentative schedule of meetings on Revitalization, the Group of 77 and China cautions against rushing through an exercise that should, in fact, aim at enriching the agenda of this Committee. We think that the proposed timeline to conclude the process by April 2016 does not reflect the reality of the numerous upcoming processes between now and July, and moves us towards the direction which we try to avoid-- working in silo approach. Once again, we wish to reemphasize that we cannot set a timeline to conclude our work while the discussions on HLPF and its function and the ECOSOC dialogue on the longer-term positioning of the UN development system are still ongoing, which will have immense implications for the Second Committee's work. We believe that these discussions complement one another and therefore should take place in tandem.

In terms of the sequence of the topics to be discussed, we think that "Relevance and impact of the work of the Committee in contributing to the international development objectives" to be held on 26 February should be switched with the topic "Organization of the agenda of the committee, with poverty and sustainable development at the core". We should investigate the overarching aspect first.

Mr. Chairman,

Last but not least, the Second Committee is part of the architecture of the United Nations and always will be. The Group of 77 and China believes that today's discussion is the first step in a more comprehensive discussion. We would like to reiterate that we do not see this exercise as a streamlining exercise, but as revitalizing the Second Committee as a whole in order to make sure that the Second Committee is fit for purpose. Finally, we believe that this exercise can only be achieved with a genuine collaboration with our partners from the North. On our part, the Group of 77 and China stands ready to constructively engage in this process.

I thank you.