Mr. President, Heads of State and Government, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

1. On behalf of the Group of 77 and China, I would like to put on record the Group's appreciation for the kind invitation to address the Eighth Summit of the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Heads of State and Government on the theme: "Repositioning the ACP Group to respond to the challenges of Sustainable Development". I also wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Government and the people of Papua New Guinea for their hospitality and excellent organisation of the Summit.

2. With 74 out of 79 ACP members being part of the G77, existing ties between our two Groups are as natural as members of a wider family, linked through our shared goals and aligned interests. The coexistence of our Groups is underscored by the diversity of our Member States, yet reinforced by strong inter-regional solidarity and commitments to shaping the international cooperation and development agenda, as well as to enhancing global political dialogue for the betterment of developing countries.

3. Let me assure you that the Group of 77 and China will spare no efforts to keep development issues and the aspirations of our constituencies at the forefront of the international community's attention. The Group have been successful in contributing to the adoption of most international agreements by the UN. Our achievements need to be strengthened.

4. The adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development last September represented one of our most remarkable achievements in pushing forward a universal and transformative blueprint aimed at eradicating poverty in all its forms. The Agenda also addresses the triple challenges of poverty, inequality and unemployment, which most of us in G77 and ACP will continue to face. We therefore should leverage on our collective determination, international cooperation and action with the aim of poverty eradication, social integration and full employment and decent work for all.

5. As for 2016, the Group of 77 and China have chosen the theme "From Vision to Action: Inclusive Partnership for Sustainable Development". This theme supports the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, for which we shall work together nationally, regionally and globally to deliver sustainable development. In this regard, we seek the ACP's support in forging political leadership and guidance as well as sharing country experiences and recommendations on the 2030 Agenda's implementation to advance the interests of our Groups at the upcoming High-level Political Forum this July.

6. We recall our call at the inaugural forum on Financing for Development follow-up last April for the fulfillment of unmet commitments, particularly on Official Development Assistance (ODA), and identification of ways and means to enhance capacity development, through international cooperation including North-South, South-South and Triangular Cooperation. We further called for the global community's support to promote increased transparency in financial flows in all aspects particularly the fight against illicit financial flows, including by combatting tax evasion and corruption. We also took actions to address our shared concerns on infrastructure and science and technology gaps through the Inaugural Global Infrastructure Forum, as well as concrete steps to operationalise the Technology Transfer Mechanism.

7. Addressing climate change has been and will remain one of our main priorities. While 177 States have already signed the Paris Agreement, we still need to work further to enhance pre-2020 ambition. This includes the ratification of the Doha amendment to the Kyoto Protocol, particularly actions on adaptation and its financing, which are urgent priorities for our members, especially the Small Islands Developing States (SIDS).

8. In the quest to leave no one behind, we have ensured that the outcome of the Midterm Review of the Istanbul Programme of Action for Least Developed Countries (LDCs) adopted just a few days ago in Antalya, Turkey, was in the best interest of the LDCs, many of whom are both G77 and ACP Member States.

9. South-South Cooperation is at the heart of both the Group of 77 and the ACP Group. Together, the developing countries command vast markets, raw materials, human resources and technical skills. We must continue to utilize our capacities and exploit our complementarities for our mutual benefit. While we have made great progress in the promotion of various South-South projects and initiatives in recent years, it is important that we further strengthen South-South cooperation, especially in the current international economic environment. We should also reiterate our support for South-South cooperation as a means to sustain the development efforts of developing countries and of enhancing their participation, including through sharing knowledge and best practices, in the global economy. Of course, South-South cooperation is complementary to, and not a substitute for, North-South cooperation.

10. As in ACP, bringing together three regions of the South opens up significant opportunities for interregional South-South cooperation. In this regard, may I take this opportunity to highlight the readiness and proven track-record of the Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation (PGTF) to provide catalytic financial support to South-South cooperation. In its almost 30 years of operation, PGTF-funded projects have benefitted directly 125 developing countries and collectively all the member countries of the Group of 77 through projects carried out by regional and international institutions of the South.

11. On our part, Thailand has taken the initiative to share with our fellow developing countries, including members of the ACP, the Sufficiency Economy Philosophy which is an approach towards the Sustainable Development Goals. In this regard, we have convened a meeting of the Group at the expert level during 28-29 February 2016 in Bangkok. Another meeting at the senior official level is being convened during 1-2 June 2016 also in Bangkok to discuss how Sufficiency Economy Philosophy can be applied in the business sector and contribute towards the long-term sustainable development. We are strongly committed to provide technical cooperation and capacity building programmes to interested ACP members in this regard.

Mr. President, Heads of State and Government, Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,

12. The Group of 77 and China believes that closer cooperation and solidarity with the ACP members is desirable as we reinforce our efforts to influence the agenda of the international community. Let's continue to work together guided by the great and noble principles which unite us. The Group of 77 and China fully stands behind the ACP Group in the pursuit of equitable development, peace and prosperity, which are not only in the best interest of our respective constituencies, but also of the international community and humanity as a whole.

13. In conclusion, the Group of 77 and China wish to convey our very best wishes for a very productive Summit. We hope that it will lead to a renewed determination to realise the just aspirations of your membership.

I thank you.