Co-Facilitators, Excellencies, Colleagues, Ladies and Gentlemen

I have the honour to deliver these opening remarks on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

From the onset, we wish to thank you, Distinguished Co-facilitators, for all your efforts thus far in the process, and especially for the zero draft of the Ministerial declaration, which the Group sees have taken into account several of the Group's inputs towards the elements paper, as a very good basis for our deliberations.

However, we also see that many elements that are important to the Group have not been properly reflected. Therefore, the Group looks forward to engaging constructively on the Zero Draft from 29 May 2025, as we go through the document line-by-line.

Co-facilitators, I would just say a few brief words on the general expectations of our Group and then I will allow our esteemed coordinators to deliver the groups positions as you go through the document section-by-section today.

The Group wishes to reiterate that it is crucially important for us to stay focused on the review of the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs, especially the SDGs under review this year. We must refrain from rewriting or renegotiating the Agenda, as well as the various other intergovernmentally agreed frameworks and instruments.

Within the current global environment that we are facing let us not shy away from commiting to produce a document that would not only speak to the development challenges but move toward durable solutions and of course means of implementation, because let us face it, we are less than 5 full years from 2030 and implementation of the SDGs are extremelly daunting. We therefore must accelerate action if we are to achieve the ambitious agenda we set in 2015.

Lastly, let us not forget that our exercise is not to just produce a concise document but it is to help chart a better course for the billions of people of this world who are suffering in so many different ways.

Please be assured, distinguished co-facilitators, of the G77's commitment to work constructively to ensure that we deliver for our people and countries, so that we leave no one behind.

First Part

Current trends, challenges and their impact on accelerating the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals

The Group strongly supports the inclusion of language that reaffirms the 2030 Agenda as the universally agreed and comprehensive framework for sustainable development. We particularly welcome the emphasis on the principle of "leaving no one and no country behind", which is central to our vision of equity both among and within countries and the urgency of accelerated action through international solidarity.

We propose important refinements to better reflect the systemic and interconnected crisescurrently facing our world. Rising inequality, poverty, hunger, unemployment, economic instability, and climate change aggravated by geopolitical tensions and the lingering impacts of COVID-19 continue to disproportionately affect developing countries. In this regard, we urge reverting to the agreed language of the 2024 Financing for Development Forum Outcome Document, which provides a balanced and inclusive articulation of these challenges.

We also stress the importance of quantifying the SDG financing gap, now estimated between $2.5 and $4.0 trillion annually for developing countries, and highlighting the urgent need for affordable, predictable, sustainable, and sufficient development finance long-standing priorities for our Group.

The Group also supports the inclusion of language on digital divides, particularly the emerging AI gap, and their development implications. We emphasize the need to increase investment, build capacity, and ensure equitable access to digital infrastructure, particularly for underserved and rural areas, so that developing countries can fully participate in the global digital economy.

In paragraphs addressing multilateralism and global cooperation, the Group proposes a split, to distinguish between language reaffirming our commitment to the multilateral system, solidarity, and international cooperation and language related to peace and development.

In this second part we emphasize the mutually reinforcing link between peace and development and the need to build inclusive societies ensuring support for post-conflict recovery, notably through the active role of women in peacebuilding. We also reaffirm the right to self-determination for peoples living under colonial or foreign occupation.

We believe it is necessary to include explicit reference to the Charter of the United Nations in the Declaration.

Additionally, the Group supports the inclusion of language that opposes unilateral economic, financial, or trade measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter. These measures undermine national sovereignty and hamper economic and social development, especially in developing countries.

Finally, the Group expresses interest in reflecting ongoing global development processes, including a reference to WSIS+20, as part of our shared commitment to equitable digital transformation and knowledge societies.

PART TWO

Priority actions for advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and its Sustainable Development Goals for leaving no one behind

We stress the need to strengthen the overall framing of the declaration by reaffirming international solidarity and cooperation as essential pillars for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, and by explicitly stating that no country should be left behind. The principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, should be clearly reflected to ensure that equity and historical responsibilities are adequately addressed.

We believe it is important not to limit the implementation of the SDGs to two frameworks alone. The language from the 2024 HLPF Ministerial Declaration remains broadly acceptable and can serve as a better basis, with appropriate adjustments. In section two.

We also see the need to include a clear reference to the development of a system-wide inter-agency response plan for middle-income countries, in line with the Secretary-General's mapping exercise and consistent with the guidance of the 2024 QCPR. This is key to addressing the complex and multidimensional challenges faced by these countries.

The Group recommends including elements that are central to the implementation of the SDGs in developing countries. These include capacity-building and technology transfer, addressing data gaps, using scientific knowledge in policymaking, bridging digital and technological divides, and ensuring adequate, affordable, predictable, and sustainable financing for research and innovation.

The Group also emphasizes that any reference to the use of artificial intelligence and digital transformation must be grounded in principles of accessibility, affordability, and inclusiveness. Digital development cooperation must close infrastructure gaps and enable full participation of developing countries in the digital economy, particularly in underserved and rural areas.

On water and sanitation, we highlight the urgency of addressing the lack of access to safe drinking water, basic sanitation and hygiene, water-related disasters, water scarcity, and pollution. We also support the inclusion of references to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD).

We believe the text should also reflect commitments to mobilizing means of implementation for poverty eradication, support for national strategies and social protection systems, ending hunger and malnutrition, promoting sustainable and inclusive agrifood systems, and reaffirming the right to adequate and nutritious food for all.

Finally, we propose a more integrated approach that highlights national leadership, regional collaboration, and global partnerships as mutually reinforcing levels of action, while maintaining the importance of broad stakeholder inclusion.

SDG 3. Ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages

We appreciate that some important elements for the Group have been taken on board in this section.

We, however, highlight that references throughout the text must be aligned with the commitments and language to preserve the integrity of previously agreed multilateral commitments, particularly the Political Declaration on Universal Health Coverage, to ensure consistency.
In this regard, we would like to offer the following comments on the zero draft:

- It is essential that primary health care be explicitly and consistently presented as an integral part of universal health coverage (UHC), rather than as a distinct or parallel concept, in line with globally agreed language on health systems strengthening.
- While WASH (Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene) is often referenced in connection with health, we underscore that it should not be framed as a component of UHC or primary health care. Given its strong linkages to infrastructure, education, and poverty reduction, WASH should be treated as a standalone development priority. We recommend addressing WASH in a separate paragraph to preserve thematic clarity in the section on UHC, disease prevention, and pandemic preparedness.
- We welcome the recognition of the urgent need to address the global shortfall in the health workforce. However, we recommend that references to the health workforce be presented in a standalone paragraph, rather than being merged with broader discussions on official development assistance (ODA). This separation would help preserve conceptual clarity, as the health workforce is not inherently a component of ODA, and would allow for more focused attention on critical areas such as education, employment, retention, and institutional capacity building.
- We would appreciate clarification on the reference to "health education" in paragraph 20, which addresses the promotion of health and well-being in developing countries. We would be grateful to understand the rationale or source for its inclusion in this context, in order to ensure alignment with previously agreed language and maintain coherence with the overall UHC framework.
- The Group of 77 and China respectfully request the deletion of the reference recognizing interlinkages between health, environmental pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss in paragraph 21. While we acknowledge the impact of environmental risk factors to health, this formulation introduces elements that go beyond the scope of SDG 3 and should be discussed under appropriate forum such as UNFCCC process.

The Group of 77 and China also calls for the inclusion of the following key elements in the forthcoming revision of the text:

- Addressing the broader social and economic determinants of health, which are fundamental to our priorities. We specifically propose adding references that express deep concern over recurring food insecurity and malnutrition and their adverse impact on health, as well as language emphasizing the elimination of poverty as a key factor in realizing the right to health.
- Emphasize the importance of reflecting language from the recently concluded work of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body on pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response in Geneva. This includes the recognition of equitable and timely access to pandemic-related health products for countries in need, and the acknowledgment that the international spread of disease is a global threat requiring the broadest possible international cooperation and solidarity, particularly with developing countries, while reaffirming the sovereign right of States to manage public health matters.
- Timely, equitable, and unhindered access to safe, affordable, effective, and quality medicines, vaccines, diagnostics, therapeutics, and other health technologies as a fundamental component of the right to health and UHC.
- Technology transfer and know-how sharing, including through voluntary licensing and public funding agreements, to strengthen local and regional manufacturing capacities for pandemic response tools and essential health supplies.
- Recognition of the need to support developing countries in building expertise and production capacity for vaccines, diagnostics, and medicines, particularly in light of high prices and inequitable access.
- Acknowledgment that the high prices of some health products and the resulting financial burden on users significantly impede progress toward achieving universal health coverage, particularly for developing countries.
- Concern over the concentration of manufacturing facilities in few countries and the lack of infrastructure in developing countries that hinders timely and effective access to health products, especially during emergencies.
- Deep concern over the unequal access of developing countries to COVID-19 vaccines and technologies, and the need to strengthen national, regional, and multilateral initiatives for equitable access.
- Recognition that UHC implies non-discriminatory access to essential health services and products, preventive, curative, rehabilitative, palliative, without financial hardship, with emphasis on the poor and most vulnerable.
- Recognition of the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on migrants, and their essential contributions during the pandemic, while highlighting the need to ensure their access to healthcare and protection from unsafe returns.

Lastly, we reiterate the Group's call for a comprehensive and action-oriented commitment in the first draft, reflecting the priorities and challenges of developing countries as they strive to achieve SDG 3 and recover from the ongoing impacts of global health emergencies.

Regarding SDG 5, we appreciate the co-facilitators for reflecting priorities and concerns raised by the Group in formulating the zero draft.
 
1. We believe the overall structure of the section can be improved to make it more targeted and purposeful, through focusing each paragraph on a priority area to be addressed for the achievement of SDG 5.
2. We urge the usage of language that is more driven to SDG5 - achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, and to utilize formulations that will have the most impact while respecting the diversity of viewpoints and perspectives.
3. We emphasize the importance of highlighting economic empowerment as necessary to achieve SDG 5, and measures to ensure equal access to economic participation, leadership and entrepreneurship, and to lift women and girls out of poverty.
4. We need to including reference to targeted and comprehensive social protection policies, public services, and legal and institutional measures.
5. We call for the inclusion of targeted language on women and girls' access to education, training, and career development opportunities, including in STEM fields.
6. We must reiterate the importance of committing to prevent and eliminate all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls.
7. We must highlight the importance of encouraging and enabling the full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls. We reiterate that women and girls' contribution to sustainable development accelerates the achievement of all SDGs.

We look forward to working together in the upcoming informal consultations to streamline and strengthen the text to remove ambiguities and make it fit for purpose.

Regarding SDG 8, we appreciate that some important issues for the Group have been taken on board in this section.

We, however, highlight that references throughout the text must be aligned with the 2030 Agenda. Some language proposal included therein such as freely chosen employment and "sustainable development growth", do not mirror the 2030 Agenda.

Other references, such as the ones related to social protection systems and international labor standards, need to be better framed.

On another note, we will be proposing to move the reference on the Second World Summit for Social Development to section I. WSSD goes beyond SDG 8 and it can be better placed in that general section.

The Group believes that the following key actions on SDG8 are missing in the Zero Draft, and need to be addressed:

1- Recognize the important role of social and solidarity economy as a driver for inclusive and sustainable development growth.
2- Highlight the need to integrate youth in the evolving labour markets and ensure their access to decent jobs.
3- Scale up investments in digital infrastructure, capacity-building and technology transfer, to ensure that developing countries benefit from the digital economy. Address opportunities, risks and challenges posed by new technologies, including AI, on the workplace and the workforce.
4- Recognize the positive contributions of migrants for inclusive growth and social and economic development.
5- Emphasize global cooperation in skill development, including mutual recognition of skills and qualifications to facilitate labor mobility.
6- Support the formalization of micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises as drivers of inclusive growth and decent jobs, as well as support cooperatives throughout the value chain, in particular businesses and enterprises in the social and solidarity economy, operating in both the formal and informal economies
7- Support tourism in a sustainable manner, benefiting local communities and creating decent job opportunities for all.

SDG 14: Life Below Water

I. General Comments

Regarding SDG 14, the Group appreciates that some of the key points raised by the Group have been included in the zero draft.

The Group believes that the zero draft provides a good starting point for our discussions. In this section overall, we believe that there is scope to strengthen the language further, especially on means of implementation.

While we note that this year, we will also have a political declaration on SDG14 coming out of UNOC3, we believe that as the mandated forum to review the SDGS the HLPF ministerial declaration must still comprehensively address SDG14.

In this regard, we would like to highlight the following elements:

First, strong language on means of implementation is necessary to ensure the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development. Language from the UNOC3 outcome document, and the HLPF MD from 2022, when SDG14 was last reviewed in depth, as well as previous iterations of these documents, as appropriate, could provide a useful guidance in this regard.

Second, on issues where language has already been tightly negotiated in the UNOC3 process, the Group reiterates our comments from the first informal on using agreed language and formulations from the UNOC3 outcome document, where appropriate, to formulate language in the HLPF outcome document.

Having said that, while the latest agreed language provides a strong starting point for our discussions, the Group believes that the highest ambition must be maintained, especially on critical issues for developing countries.

Lastly, we also note that it is important to use the correct titles and most up-to-date language, when referencing ongoing processes, such as efforts to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including in the marine environment.

The Group is ready to engage constructively in this process and are ready to provide substantive inputs when we begin line-by-line negotiations later this month.

II. Specific Comments

First, the Group notes that its call for stronger language on means of implementation is partly reflected in the zero draft.

- In particular, the zero draft now reflects the Group's call for support for enhancing financial mechanisms to drive SDG14, including commitment to supporting capacity building, facilitating exchange of knowledge, technology and innovation, and financial mobilization to all developing countries to achieve SDG14. Reference to enhancing cooperation, including south-south and triangular cooperation in addressing SDG14, is also reflected in the zero draft.
- To further bolster this, we suggest including the promotion of 'research and strengthening the ocean science-policy interface'
- On South-South and triangular cooperation, we stress that this is 'a complement to, not a substitute for North-South cooperation, in addressing SDG14.'

We wish to further reinforce language on the means of implementation by adding some elements from the UNOC3 Political Declaration, including that 'accelerating ocean action globally requires significant and accessible finance and the fulfilment of existing commitments and obligations under relevant intergovernmental agreements' and that it also 'requires adequate and scaled up means of implementation for developing countries, to address the funding gap of SDG 14.'

Second, we appreciate language in the zero draft recognizing the potential of blue economy initiatives, and highlighting the need for investing in such initiatives, and providing incentives to promote blue economy, including through promoting responsible fisheries.

- We wish to further strengthen this language by referring to the integration of transparent practices into fisheries management and promoting data exchange as well as combating illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in accordance with SDG 14.4 and 14.6.
- We note that in addressing critical issues, such as illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, it is important to provide the necessary contexts and caveats, especially on issues that may have implications on Member States in light of obligations and commitments under other instruments or frameworks.
- We underline the need to achieve balance between economic growth and environmental protection and social priorities in sustainable ocean management .

Third, we reiterate our view that the Ministerial Declaration should acknowledge progress made in multilateral processes towards the achievement of SDG14, including the conclusion of the KMGBF, and the BBNJ Agreement. We would welcome stronger language on the BBNJ Agreement, consistent with the Group's contribution to and long-standing support for the Agreement.

The Group is also of the view that, where appropriate, the outcome of discussions under different processes, including UNOC3, should be reflected. At the same time, we should not prejudge ongoing discussions under different processes, such as on the Plastics Treaty. However, we could reflect the elements that Member States have already converged on with respect to the INC process at the UNOC3 political declaration.

Finally, this HLPF process is an opportunity for us focus and pay attention to the SDG 14, as the least financed SDG. The ministerial declaration should highlight our common commitment to:

- Supporting capacity building, knowledge exchange, and financial mobilization to enable all developing countries to develop and implement sustainable ocean plans, as well as programmes to address the challenges of ocean governance and the development of a sustainable ocean-based economies.
- Enhancing cooperation, including south-south and triangular cooperation, to strengthen mechanisms for collaboration, developing cross-continental networks, peer-learning, knowledge-sharing and exchange of best practices within marine scientific research, and to support developing countries to access technology and using reliable data and statistics relating to SDG14.
- Enhancing financial mechanisms to drive SDG14.
- Providing support, and facilitating the exchange of knowledge, technology, and innovation related to marine and coastal resources.
- Recognizing the vital role of small-scale and artisanal fisheries in sustainable livelihoods, food security and nutrition, and local economies.

Regarding the SDG 17, we appreciate the Co-Facilitators for including several crucial points for the Group in the Zero draft. We agree with the language proposals on reforming the international financial architecture, commitment to bridge the STI divides and enhance capacity-building initiatives, the implementation of MVI, and the meaningful involvement and participation of the international financial institutions in the HLPF.

However, many of our inputs in this section remains excluded from the zero draft.

First, on financing, while appreciating strong language on financing gaps and taking into account the placeholder from the FfD4 Outcome Document, several commitments from last year's Ministerial Declaration remains omitted in the zero draft. Given declining trend in development finance, we need stronger language and we firmly insist that those commitments be included in this year's Declaration as well as they remained unfulfilled These elements are as follows:

- The call on developed countries to scale up and fulfil their respective ODA commitments. Given the declining trend of official assistance, it is more important than ever to reaffirm the ODA commitments.
- scaling up and improvement of access to finance, including concessional finance, capacity-building and technology transfer to developing countries;
- urgent voluntary rechannelling of additional special drawing rights for countries most in need;
- strengthening the inclusiveness and effectiveness of tax cooperation at the United Nations;
- strengthening commitment and international cooperation on preventing and combating illicit financial flows; and
- the call to initiate the UN-led intergovernmental process on measures beyond GDP.

Second, in relation to international development cooperation, we reiterate that North-South cooperation remains a fundamental catalyst for sustainable development. While recognizing that South-South cooperation is an important element of international cooperation for development, South-South cooperation is a complement to, not a substitute for, North-South cooperation.

Third, on AI, we wish to propose a paragraph urging the enhancement of the governance of artificial intelligence and the use of its applications as a cross-cutting enabler for achieving the SDGs and for addressing the digital divide.

Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs)

The Group of 77 and China supports strengthening language on the role of Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs) by highlighting the importance of peer learning and inclusive participation.

Also, emphasising the engagement of local governments, civil society, and academia reinforces national ownership and enhances the effectiveness of sustainable development strategies.