Distinguished Members of the High Level Panel to Assess and Enhance the Effectiveness of UN-Habitat,

I have the honor to deliver a statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

At the outset, the Group wishes to thank you for convening this consultation meeting. We recognize the importance of your commitment to produce an independent report, based on your shared knowledge.

With the adoption of the New Urban Agenda in Quito, the Member States renewed our commitment and the support of the world to sustainable housing and urban development, and we proposed policies and the means of implementation of a participatory and inclusive urban development, capable of integrating all the aspects of sustainable development to promote equality, wellbeing and shared prosperity. We consider that the implementation of the New Urban Agenda must be coherent and consistent with our ambitions and the efforts of the Member States and stakeholders in the New Urban Agenda preparatory process.

Given that each Member State will share their perspectives through the questionnaire and that our substantive perspectives, related with the enhanced effectiveness of UN-Habitat, were expressed in the process towards Habitat III, we would like to discuss and to be informed about the on-going process of the Panel's Assessment. In this regard, we would like to deliver some questions:

1. What will be the weight that you provide to the responses from the Member States versus stakeholders and anonymous sources? What is the purpose of having anonymous sources?
2. We would like to have a confirmation whether the two-day High Level PGA Event will be held within the current session of the General Assembly, as mandated by the New Urban Agenda.
3. What is the ambition and the outlook of the report?
4. How does this report assessment relate with other outcomes of UN Agencies on the organization?
5. We would like to know whether you will share with the member states the initial findings before issuing the final Report
6. What do you expect in the Upcoming Nairobi Travel in July?

I thank you.