Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Distinguished participants,

1. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. At the outset, please allow me to express my appreciation and congratulations on behalf of the Group to the Government of the United Arab Emirates, in particular the Zayed International Foundation for the Environment, in corporation with the United Nations Office for South-South Cooperation, for the successful convening of this very important forum to exchange views and experiences on South-South Cooperation.

Mr. Chairman,

2. The Global South-South Development (GSSD) Expo this year comes at a crucial point in time as we embark on our collective journey towards a sustainable future following the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as other development-related global frameworks during the course of 2015, namely the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030, the Addis Ababa Action Agenda and the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the recently adopted New Urban Agenda. It is critical that we increase our efforts to maximize the potentials of South-South and Triangular Cooperation towards this regard so that no one and no developing country will be left behind at the end of our journey.

3. The Group of 77 and China are of the view that in our collective efforts to implement and achieve the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development as well as other commitments, the growing importance of South-South and Triangular Cooperation must be recognised but at the same time must not be overemphasized considering its role as a complement to and not a substitute of North-South Cooperation. And through South-South Cooperation, we, the developing countries, can manifest our solidarity among one another.

4. As a platform for systematic showcasing of development solutions, this GSSD Expo under the theme "Enhancing Innovation towards Achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development" has proven to be able immensely contribute to the networking among developing countries for address common development challenges by bringing together result-based solutions and evidence-based initiatives along with various stakeholders during the course of the past four days.

5. Discussions during the course of this Expo had revolved around how we could enhance and implement effective capacity-building initiatives in developing countries to support national development objectives geared towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda as well as how to facilitate the application of science, technology and innovation to development through enhanced South-South knowledge sharing in these areas. Following this EXPO, we should be strengthening our focus on how all of us can take those discussions forward and bring action, cooperation and collaboration with meaningful results.

6. One example of such cooperation has been demonstrated during the course of Thailand's chairmanship of the Group of 77 this year in sharing with member countries of the Group the Philosophy of Sufficiency Economy, guided by His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, as one of the homegrown approaches that can contribute to the implementation and achievement of the 2030 Agenda with a balance between the social, economic and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. Thailand stands ready in providing technical cooperation on the application of the Philosophy through South-South and triangular cooperation framework.

Mr. Chairman,

7. As we journey on towards 2030, another key milestone in the evolution of South-South Cooperation will be reached in 2018 when developing countries will yet once again celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action for Promoting and Implementing Technical Cooperation Among Developing Countries, the very basis of the Nairobi outcome document of the High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation which defined the underlying principles of South-South Cooperation. The 38-year of work on South-South Cooperation has laid a strong basis for the Group of 77 to leap forward. In this regard, we look forward to engaging constructively in this upcoming event to bring about fruitful outcome that will concretize and strengthen the solidarity among developing countries.

8. In closing, I would like to express our appreciation to the Government of the United Arab Emirates for the warm welcome and hospitality to all delegations, as well as to the people of the United Arab Emirates including our friends in the city of Dubai.

I thank you.