Strengthening of the Economic and Social Council"

STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY MR. MOHAMED GAD, MINISTER PLENIPOTENTIARY, DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT TO THE UNITED NATIONS, AT THE FIRST INFORMAL MEETING ON ECOSOC REVIEW PROCESS IN ACCORDANCE WITH RESOLUTION 68/1 ENTITLED "REVIEW OF THE IMPLEMENTATION OF GENERAL ASSEMBLY 61/16 ON STRENGTHENING OF THE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL" (New York, 6 February 2018)

Co-Facilitators,

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

2. At the outset, I would like to thank the co-facilitators for convening today's first informal meeting on the ECOSOC review process in accordance with GA Resolution 68/1 entitled "Review of the implementation of General Assembly Resolution 61/16 on the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council", by providing a set of questions to guide our discussions, aiming at gathering initial thoughts and ideas on the process, and different aspects of the above-mentioned Resolution.

3. ECOSOC has a primary role in the integrated and coordinated follow-up of the outcomes of all major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social, environmental and related fields. ECOSOC also has a key role in achieving a balanced integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development.

4. The Group of 77 and China wishes to stress that the aim of the review of the implementation of General Assembly Resolution 61/16 should be to strengthen ECOSOC within its mandate under the Charter.

5. ECOSOC is a principal platform for the integration of the three dimensions of sustainable development. It has a mandated mechanism for the coordination of the United Nations system and supervision of its subsidiary bodies by strengthening system-wide coherence and coordination, including the overall coordination of funds, programmes and specialized agencies on the process.

Co-Facilitators,

6. On the process, the Group of 77 and China is of the view that the ongoing process of the United Nation Development System (UNDS) reform should first be completed before engaging in yet another equally important process on the ECOSOC review. It is of significant importance that the ECOSOC review does not prejudge the discussions on the UNDS reform. Therefore, the two processes cannot be conducted in a parallel manner, but rather in a sequential one.

7. The Group of 77 and China will continue to engage constructively in the ECOSOC review process in accordance with resolution 68/1.

I thank you.