STATEMENT ON BEHALF OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA BY H.E MR. RIYAD MANSOUR, MINISTER, STATE OF PALESTINE, AT THE XVIII SUMMIT OF THE HEADS OF STATES OR GOVERNMENT OF THE NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT (NAM) (Baku, Azerbaijan, 25 October 2019)

"Upholding the Bandung Principles to ensure concerted an adequate response to the challenges of contemporary world"

Mr. Chair,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,

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

2 At the outset, I would like to express my deep appreciation to Venezuela as outgoing Chair of the Non-Aligned Movement and congratulate Azerbaijan, which just recently joined the G77 and China family, on assuming the Chairmanship of the Movement. The Group of 77 and China is confident that Azerbaijan will ably guide the NAM in making positive contributions to global peace and stability.

Mr. Chair,

3 As we approach the 65th anniversary of the Bandung principles and the 60th anniversary of the establishment of the Movement, we stress that the vision of Bandung for lasting peace and security is more relevant than ever.

4 This Summit's theme "Upholding the Bandung Principles to ensure concerted an adequate response to the challenges of contemporary world" is very timely at this critical juncture for international law, multilateralism and the peaceful settlement of disputes. We remain undeterred by the current challenges and shall remain faithful to the principles that underpinned the creation of the Movement and the Group.

5 Both NAM and the G77 and China have been, and continue to be, the champions of a rules-based multilateral order, that upholds the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter. Not only because we represent the majority, or rather 2/3rd of the world population, and of all States, but also because we defend a vision of the world that is deeply rooted in international law, mutual respect and mutually beneficial and just cooperation, for the benefit of all countries and all peoples.

6 The Group reaffirms in this regard, in accordance with the 2030 Agenda, international law and the Charter of the United Nations, the need to uphold the right to self-determination of peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation and to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of States.

7 The Group reiterates its firm rejection to the imposition of laws and regulations with extraterritorial impact and all other forms of coercive economic measures including unilateral sanctions, against developing countries and reiterate the urgent need to eliminate them immediately.

8 The G77 and China rose at the SDG Summit in defense of the integrity and integrality of the 2030 Agenda strongly advocating the need to provide the necessary resolve and means to ensure its implementation and opposing any attempt to undermine or reinterpret the Agenda. It did so in the most challenging time since the adoption of the Agenda.

9 We succeeded in maintaining the emphasis on the eradication of poverty as the greatest global challenge and as an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. We preserved the expression of the international consensus on climate change. We stressed the importance of an honest assessment of the challenges faced in the implementation of the SDGs, notably those faced by developing countries, and the need to address them, including through concrete actions that were adopted as part of the political declaration.
 
10 We were successful in reflecting a commitment to finding peaceful and just solutions to disputes and to respect international law and the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, including the right to self-determination of peoples and the need to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of States. We reflected a commitment to enhance financial and non-financial means of implementation, including the promotion of a universal, rules-based, open, transparent, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system.

11 We have a decade to implement the Agenda and all countries must deliver on their commitments, in particular developed countries, in line with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. We call on ODA providers uphold their commitments.
12 We stress the need to facilitate the necessary means of implementation, in particular in the areas of finance, technology and capacity-building, as well as international trade through a universal, rules-based, open, transparent, predictable, inclusive, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system under the WTO. We also emphasize the potential of science, technology and innovation for achieving sustainable development and poverty eradication.

13 We reiterate our commitment to South-South Cooperation as a collective endeavor of developing countries and as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, North-South cooperation. The Buenos Aires outcome document has brought the necessary momentum and provided us with a roadmap for South-South and triangular cooperation.

14 Our Group continued to translate into action the pledge "Leave no one behind", asserting the rights of developing countries, while helping them assume their responsibilities, in particular countries in special situations and those facing specific challenges.

15 While continuing to reject politically motivated decisions to withhold contributions to the UN and while insisting that such decisions are at the origin of the recurrent financial crisis faced by the UN, the Group took a leading role in efforts to address the financial situation of the Organization and in providing a response, notably as regards its peacekeeping budget.

16 The G77 and China also took a strong stance in defence of troop and police contributing countries, a majority of which are members of our Group, including in trying to ensure they are paid the money they are owed and in rejecting, through a vote in 5th committee, attempts at advancing notions that are detrimental to them.

17 While NAM took the lead in the revitalization of the work of the General Assembly, the G77 and China was in charge of the alignment of the agenda of the General Assembly with the 2030 Agenda, and both continued defending the interests of the Global South, including by advocating equitable geographic representation. The Group tabled a few days ago a resolution to enlarge the ACABQ membership to ensure better representation of developing countries from all three regional components of the Group in this important body.

Mr. Chair,

18 In closing, the Group has consistently pleaded, as reflected in the Agenda, that there can be no peace without sustainable development and no sustainable development without peace. The work of the G77 and China and NAM, which spans the entire UN agenda, is therefore complementary, in advancing the positions of developing countries on both fronts, for a more just, equitable, peaceful and prosperous world. May the unity and solidarity of the global South pave the way to the realization of this noble objective.