Distinguished co-facilitators,
Distinguished Ambassadors and delegates:

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the G-77 and China.

At the outset, let me express the appreciation of our Group for the efforts and the hard work you have done and congratulate you for the reappointment as Cofacilitators of this outstanding process towards the Summit of the Future, probably the most important one for next year. You will have the responsibility of facilitating the negotiations among Member States with a view towards strengthening the multilateral system and to ensure that it is prepared to deal with the challenges of an increasingly complex and distressed world. We look forward to achieving inclusive consensus on the Pact For the Future

During this year the Group has worked constructively and has been highly committed in contributing substantively to the elaboration of the scope of the Summit of the Future, taking into account the needs and priorities of developing countries for the Pact of the Future. When we look to the Future we mainly envisage it from the perspective of our condition as developing countries, with the intend to bridge the enormous gap between developed and developing countries which would allow us to advance towards a common future of sustainable development, peace and respect of all human rights for all, including the right to development, in a context of human dignity for every country and every people.

On September 1st, the General Assembly adopted decision A/77/L.09, a streamlined text, containing no substance at all in the Chapeau and Chapters. This balance was the minimum common ground possible at that moment in view of the impossibility to agree on a more substantive document for the scope and elements of the referred Summit. We, Member States, agreed upon a short text in which all delegations can find room for including their interests and priorities, now that we are going to begin negotiating the "Pact for the Future" to be adopted next year.

The G77 is of the view that these negotiations could take into account the extensive debates and the work that was done during the preparatory process, in matters of priority and urgency for developing countries, considering an adequate balance of the whole document. We are committed to participate, in the coming months, in open, transparent and exhaustive intergovernmental negotiations, in order to incorporate all the necessary substance to the Pact for the Future, especially the needs and priorities of the developing world.

Since the priority for developing countries continues to be the full achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals, the outcome of the Summit of the Future should seek to take forward the most important elements included in the Political Declaration of the recent SDG Summit as a basis for the negotiation. Even those ambitious and comprehensive actions negotiated but not included finally due to the reluctance of our developed partners should be considered now for the Pact.

The Summit of the Future should strengthen multilateralism to move towards a more just, equitable, non-discriminatory and sustainable world that advances towards the sustainable development and prosperity of all countries, in line with the UN Charter.

The Group underlines the importance of addressing the problems and challenges of today in order to create a better world for both present and future generations in an equitable manner. To this end, we need to focus seriously on development issues, including the eradication of poverty and hunger as an overarching goal. Even more crucial are the necessary means of implementation, reforming the international financial architecture and establishing measures going beyond GDP to ensure a more inclusive approach to international cooperation.

Moreover, a future of harmony and wellbeing for all, today looks more distant than ever. What could we member States propose to really create conditions for a better world, if the United Nations has not been able to find solutions to urgent matters causing the terrifying and unacceptable situations created in the territory of one of the members of the G77, in the occupied Palestine? A comprehensive, just and lasting solution to the conflict inexorably demands the real exercise of the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination and to build their own independent and sovereign State within the pre-1967 borders and with its capital in East Jerusalem, as stablished in UN resolutions. There is no other effective way to stop this spiral of violence once and for all, save human lives and chart a viable course for peace, avoiding that the conflict could expand and affect other countries in the region.

The Pact of the Future will have to tackle this urgent structural, systemic, moral and political failings in a direct and honest way. If we do not, humanity will be a hostage of the powerful trends prevailing today. The future will be a mere reproduction of the genocide, the horror, pain, death and despair of innocent people living in permanent war and oppression, with no possibility of finding prosperity.

In this path towards a more just world for the future, it is necessary to change the current unjust and exclusionary international order. In this regard, the Group strongly reiterates that a future world cannot be conceived without lifting and refraining from promulgating and applying unilateral economic, financial or trade coercive measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations, since they affect dramatically the rights and dignity of the people living under those illegal measures and hinder the efforts of countries affected to achieve sustainable development. During the Ministerial meeting in September, several delegations requested a report from the Secretary General about the effect of the application of unilateral coercive measures, in order to give information for the negotiation process of the Pact for the Future. The Group considers that this would be a very important step in order to reflect an important issue in the text of the Pact.

This issue cannot be simply denied to be discussed and included in the negotiating text, due to the unwillingness of a group of countries, mainly those that apply these types of illegal measures, which exert a kind of veto during negotiations.

Regarding other issues related to development, the Group also highlights that the Summit of the Future must provide concrete solutions for the promotion of technology transfer from developed countries to developing countries, as well as for capacity building and technological and scientific cooperation to close the digital and technological divide and foster sustainable development in its three dimensions in a balanced and integrated manner. The Summit of G77 and China held in Havana on 15-16 September, offers important inputs on these issues.

Additionally, the Group emphasizes that the Global Digital Compact (GDC) must be negotiated through open, transparent and inclusive intergovernmental consultations and that full and equal participation of all States, especially developing countries, should be ensured. In that sense, the development of a Global Digital Compact should contribute to bridge the digital divides and to strengthen digital cooperation, taking into account the work being done in the United Nations in relevant processes and forums.

The development of a substantive Global Digital Compact that accelerate progress on the SDGs, enhance digital connectivity and digital inclusion, and strengthen overall international digital cooperation with a view to closing the digital divide, taking into account existing and ongoing work being done in the United Nations.

The Group of G77 and China will be working hard, in order to present its proposals for the Chapeau and relevant Chapters, with a very constructive negotiating position, as we have been doing in the last months.

In these times of multidimensional crises that weigh particularly on the countries of the Global South, we can only look to the future with the conviction that peace, solidarity, equity, social justice and cooperation must prevail to achieve development and well-being for both present and future generations.

Thank you very much.