Co-Facilitators,

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

At the outset, the Group wishes to congratulate you on your appointment as the Co-Facilitators to prepare the draft conclusion and recommendations of the 2016 inaugural ECOSOC forum on Financing for Development follow-up (FfD forum) and facilitate consultations among Member States with a view to reaching intergovernmentally agreement on this draft. We have high confidence in your able leadership and affirm that the Group of 77 and China stands ready to constructively participate in the informal consultations.

We also wish to thank you for convening this first informal consultation to allow us to provide views on the desired content and format of the conclusions and recommendations of the Forum, as well as modalities for reaching the intergovernmental agreement.

Co-Facilitators,

In accordance with the mandate given by the Paragraph 130 of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda (AAAA), the inter-agency Task Force (IATF) convened by the Secretary-General will report annually on progress in implementing the Financing for Development outcomes and the means of implementation of the post-2015 development agenda and to advise the intergovernmental follow-up thereto on progress, implementation gaps and recommendation for corrective action, while taking into consideration the national and regional dimensions. We believe that the IATF report will constitute a basis for our discussion and exchange of views in this coming month.

Nonetheless, due to the late issuance of the above IATF report on Monday evening, it does not allow member states to have thorough consideration on the report and therefore limit the chance to have an in-depth substantive informal consultation. To ensure the best benefit of member states and comprehensive work of Co-facilitators, we are of the view that further substantive discussions should be held in the following informal consultations and their outcomes to be reflected in the draft conclusions and recommendations of the FfD forum.

Co-Facilitators,

We wish to share our preliminary views on the draft conclusions and recommendations of the FfD forum.

On the modalities of reaching the draft conclusions and recommendations of FfD forum, we wish to highlight the following points:

First, the outcome of FfD forum must be intergovernmentally and transparently negotiated. The negotiation process of the draft outcome must be led by member states and not restricted by any conditionality or circumstances, including but not limited to the need for line-by-line negotiations and consultations beyond the "pre-agreed" timeline.

Second, we request for the clear process and preliminary timeline of the negotiation on outcome of FfD forum, including the issue of zero draft outcome, informal consultations, circulation of the draft for written comments, and consultation of the whole membership with the aim to reaching an agreement at the earliest possible time.

Third, for preparation of future FfD forums, we propose that the outcome document contain the Roadmap for the following FfD forums, which may include determination of future timeframes and themes, if appropriate. An example hereto is the Roadmap on the Follow-up and Review of 2030 Agenda at the global level.

With regard to the substantive issues, we view that the content of draft conclusions and recommendations of FfD forum should take into account the following:

First, to be in line with the first IATF report, the outcome of FfD forum should take stock the implementation of all action areas of AAAA and related MoIs covered by these action areas in a balance manner.

Second, the scope of the outcome of FfD forum must also include the follow-up of Monterrey Consensus and Doha Declaration, including but not limited to ODA commitment.

Third, to be useful, the outcome of FfD forum should identify gaps in the implementation of the AAAA and react directly to them by listing specific and time-relevant actions to take or initiate before the next forum. These "calls to action" could be directed at the UN system, Member States, and other stakeholders. Our goal is to avoid reiteration of the AAAA, and instead shift the focus to implementation. Accordingly, it will be very important, in upcoming discussions, to establish the purpose and level of ambition around the outcome document.

Fourth, while the outcome of FfD forum should be an input to the HLPF, it should serve as an important reference with a set of recommendations for action that stands in its own right.

Fifth, while outcome of the FfD forum needs to take into account other relevant forums and commitments, we would like to highlight that the consideration to include the follow-up and monitoring of the relevant forums must take into account the respective mandate of AAAA.

In this regard, we agree to keep the nuance of Para 132 of AAAA stipulating that deliberations of the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF), according to its mandate, will also be taken into account by FfD forum. Due to the fact that the mandate is clear for only the deliberations of the DCF, which will be concluded in July every two years, could be taken into account while the preparatory symposia for the 2016 DCF is only part of the DCF preparation process which has not been negotiated and intergovernmentally agreed and therefore could not be treated as the deliberations of the DCF.

In addition, the Global Infrastructure Forum is another crucial forum derived from AAAA. We therefore wish to emphasise the importance of including the following two elements concerning the Global Infrastructure Forum into the outcome of FfD forum: (1) to establish a clear reporting mechanism to FfD forum, through which member states give political guidance, as well as (2) to set up an institutionalized system led by the Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) of which the chairmanship is passed between its members on a rotational basis.

Sixth, we wish to seek further clarification on the distinction between the Summary by the President of ECOSOC of the annual forum on financing for development follow-up and the outcome of FfD forum, both of which are post-session documents. We are of the view that the above Summary should not be contested with the intergovernmentally agreed conclusions and recommendations of FfD forum, and be drafted in a balance and transparent manner by representatives of one developed and one developing countries.

Co-Facilitators,

These are our preliminary views on the content and modalities of the draft conclusion and recommendations of the 2016 ECOSOC forum on Financing for Development follow-up to be discussed further in the informal consultations. We look forward to a successful and meaningful process. We wish to reassure that you have our continued support as the Group of 77 and China strongly believes that the implementation of AAAA and Means of Implementation of SDGs will lead to sustainable development and provide a life of dignity for all.

I thank you.