Excellencies,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, on agenda item 127: Global Health and Foreign Policy.

The group thanks the Secretary-General for his report (A/79/915) on "Improving international cooperation and multilateral efforts to address global health challenges and promote equity in health for the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development."

In this regard the group wishes to highlight the following:

1. The Group reaffirms that health is a fundamental human right and a central pillar of sustainable development. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the urgent need to strengthen multilateralism, international solidarity and cooperation, including through international medical assistance, to ensure that no country is left behind in preventing, preparing for and responding to global health emergencies. The Group rejects any attempts to hinder such cooperation or solidarity.

2. The Group recognizes that health financing requires global solidarity and collective effort and highlights the urgent need to strengthen international cooperation to support efforts to build and strengthen capacity in developing countries, including through enhanced official development assistance and financial and technical support and support to research, development and innovation programmes.

3. The Group stresses the urgent need to close persistent gaps in timely, unhindered and equitable access to medical equipment, vaccines, diagnostics and health technologies, which continue to disproportionately affect developing countries, and emphasizes that strengthening technology transfer and local production is essential to increase global supply, ensure equitable access and build resilient health systems.

4. The Group notes with concern that the health challenges facing developing countries are compounded by the high and increasing cost of health technologies and limited capacities and availability. This is aggravated by lack of transparency in price setting policies from producers, it underscores that the global response remains inadequate to achieve the health-related targets of the 2030 Agenda and stresses that stagnant ODA and the growing pressures from commercial and other vested interests on health policies are critical obstacles requiring urgent action.

5. The Group acknowledges the pressing need to address the major impediments that developing countries face in accessing and developing digital technologies, and highlights the importance of financing and capacity-building

6. The group highlights the need to invest more in science, technology and innovation and to implement initiatives at all levels for the development of human resources in critical sectors such as health, where shortages are particularly acute and the migration of skilled professionals' risks further weakening national systems. We stress the importance to develop strategies aimed at increasing capacity-building to developing countries and confronting the brain drain of specialized human resources from countries of the global south.

7. The Group of 77 attaches great importance to the World Trade Organization Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS Agreement), and to the 2001 Doha Declaration on the TRIPS Agreement and Public Health.

8. the Group underscores that many developing countries will not be able to advance in health sector, while they face unilateral coercive measures, which have a direct and negative impact on the health and wellbeing of their population. The Group urges all States to refrain from promulgating and applying such measures.

9. Additionally, The Group strongly condemns the alarming rise in attacks, threats and violence against medical personnel, particularly local and national staff, as well as, their facilities, equipment, and supplies. Such acts violate International Humanitarian Law and severely hinder the delivery of life-saving assistance.

Finally, the Group reiterates its commitment to working with all partners to advance a stronger, fairer, and more resilient global health architecture, grounded in the principles of equity, solidarity, and sustainable development, in order to achieve the health-related goals of the 2030 Agenda.

I thank you