Chair, Excellencies, Distinguished delegates,

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the G77 and China.

We extend sincere congratulations to you, Mr. Chair, and other members of the Bureau on your election. We assure you of our full cooperation and constructive engagement throughout this session.

Our world today is far off from the vision leaders had for it 80 years ago when they established this august Organization to lead us to a more peaceful, flourishing place fit for its citizens to thrive. Sadly however, we find ourselves in a place of mounting global challenges: widening inequality, escalating debt burdens, climate change, food insecurity, digital divides, and shrinking development finance. Developing countries continue to carry disproportionate burdens, even as global commitments lag in delivery. It is imperative that our collective work in this Second Committee produces concrete, actionable outcomes rather than rhetorical aspirations.

Ongoing geopolitical tensions are derailing hard earned development gains and disrupting our ability to focus on multilateralism and cooperation that is vital in this highly interconnected world. Today, our achievement of the national development goals, including 2030 Agenda and its SDGs is becoming further and further away as we draw nearer to 2030. We are hopeful that our recent commitments made in Sevilla at FFD4 be honored and fully implemented.

Chair,

The Group underscores the urgency of preserving macro stability in developing countries and safeguarding fiscal space for development. External debt burdens have become a major drag on growth; servicing debt drains resources from health, education, infrastructure, and climate action. We call for reform of global debt/financial architecture to broaden and strengthen the voice, and participation and representation of developing countries in international economic decision making, norm setting and global economic governance. We also call for a improved global sovereign debt architecture. The IMF surcharge policy must be suspended, especially in crisis and for vulnerable countries. We further urge multilateral institutions to expand concessional finance and reduce the cost of capital for the Global South.

We call upon the international community to reverse the trend of declining ODA and concessional finance. MDBs should be mandated to scale up lending capacity in a prodevelopment direction, with de-risking, capital increase, and balance sheet support. The mechanisms for mobilizing and channeling unutilized SDRs should be operationalized in a way that supports low- and middle-income countries without further indebtedness. Development cooperation must be predictable, aligned with national priorities, and respect sovereignty.

We emphasize that climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation, desertification, and ecosystem resilience are integral to ensuring sustainable growth. We call upon developed countries to deliver commitments on climate finance, including new, additional, predictable grant-based climate finance for mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage, and these resources must not be double-counted as ODA. We call for a robust adaptation facility, streamlined access, and support for recovery and resilience in developing countries. The principles of equity and of common but differentiated responsibilities must remain a guiding foundation in all multilateral climate and environmental processes. In this vein, we extend our support to the incoming presidency of Brazil for a successful COP30 in Belém, we stress the importance of means of implementation as an indispensable enabler of climate action.

The Group is deeply concerned about the widening digital divides. Many developing countries lack infrastructure, capacity, governance norms, and data sovereignty. We welcome the establishment of the Global Dialogue on AI governance and the Independent Scientific Panel on AI, and urge their early, inclusive operationalization. We call for stronger international cooperation in technology transfer, capacity-building, connectivity, digital inclusion, open-source artificial intelligence models, data and software models, and data governance so that developing countries are not marginalized in the digital economy.

The Group reiterates the commitment to a universal, rules-based, open, transparent, predictable, inclusive, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core and reaffirms that the imposition of coercive economic measures, including unilateral sanctions, against developing countries does not contribute to economic and social development, including dialogue, cooperation and understanding among countries. While integration into global value chains is a development opportunity, it also exposes vulnerabilities. Developing countries must not be compelled to accept unfair trade rules or predatory investment regimes. We call for policies that protect domestic industries, and safeguard against deleterious effects of global economic volatility.

The Group would like to also reiterate the importance of recognizing the diverse needs and challenges faced by countries in special situations, in particular African countries, Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the specific challenges facing Middle-Income Countries (MICs), as well as challenges faced by countries affected by terrorism and unilateral economic coercive measures. Countries in conflict and post-conflict situations also need special attention. The Group re-affirms the importance to respect the universal realization of the right of peoples to self-determination of peoples living under colonial or foreign occupation and other forms of alien domination, which adversely affects their social and economic development.

The Group also reaffirms that, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, the need to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of States. The Group emphasizes that countries in special situations and those facing specific challenges must remain a priority in all development, climate, debt, trade, and technology agendas, with tailored support, preferential terms, and targeted programs.

We reiterate our strong condemnation of unilateral coercive measures and their repercussions on other countries, especially those in the Global South, which in many cases constitute the main obstacle to their sustainable development. We also call for global solidarity to increase international cooperation, including medical cooperation, to strengthen health systems in the world. The Group emphasizes that the fight against poverty and hunger are the first pillars of development; their eradication must be the foundation upon which all other progress is built. Poverty and hunger, together with inequality, and exclusion remain among the greatest threats to sustainable development. Social investments, health, education, food security, must not be sacrificed in adjustments. The global community must strengthen safety nets and resilience programs in developing countries.

We need to continue to strengthen the UN development system to ensure it is more efficient, coherent, responsive, and aligned with country priorities. Therefore, the QCPR must be fully implemented. The UN agencies should provide catalytic support, avoid duplication, and be flexible in their modalities. South-South cooperation should be strengthened not only as a complement to traditional cooperation, but as a strategic pathway to advance the financing of sustainable and inclusive development.

Chair,

The Group notes that conflict, climate change, supply chain disruptions, and rising tariffs and input costs have heightened food insecurity. We call for greater investments in sustainable agriculture, research, irrigation, and trade facilitation. International support and market access must be provided to developing country producers.

In closing, Mr. Chair, the Group reiterates that the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions must remain our north star as we conduct our work here in the Second Committee under this year's theme "Five years to 2030: multilateral solutions for sustainable development" , and in this regard, the Group calls for constructive efforts to be made by all to address and uphold our commitments and obligations under the various processes, frameworks and instruments, especially those related to economic, financial, trade, environment and climate. Let our work this year reshape a better tomorrow, putting us back on course to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure peace and prosperity for all by 2030.

I thank you.