Mr. Chair,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, except the Republic of Azerbaijan based on their request, under Agenda Item 79: "United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law".

The Group of 77 and China would like to thank the Secretary-General for his report (A/80/437), which provides a detailed account of activities undertaken to implement the Programme of Assistance. I would also like to express the Group's appreciation for the members of the Advisory Committee on the United Nations Programme of Assistance in the Teaching, Study, Dissemination and Wider Appreciation of International Law and its Chair, H.E. Harold Adlai Agyeman, Permanent Representative of Ghana to the United Nations. We also commend the Codification Division of the Office of Legal Affairs for their continued efforts to implement the Programme of Assistance as well as recognize the contribution of the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea (DOALOS).

Mr. Chair,

The Group of 77 and China reaffirms its support for the Programme of Assistance which serves as an effective means of strengthening international peace and security and promoting friendly relations and cooperation among States through the dissemination of international law. As it marks its 60th year after its establishment, the Programme continues to be relevant in furthering the objectives of the United Nations by training generations of specialists, particularly those from the developing countries, in the field of international law. The Group of 77 and China appreciates the necessary resources that are budgeted for the administration of the Programme and reiterates its call for the continued funding of the Programme in years to come. Such funding remains essential for conducting the International Law Fellowship Programme and the United Nations Regional Courses in International Law; issuing publications; developing and maintaining the United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law; and for the award of the Hamilton Shirley Amerasinghe Memorial Fellowship on the Law of the Sea. These capacity-building activities help to improve the participation of developing countries in the multilateral arena. In this regard, the Group expresses its concern that the deteriorating liquidity situation of the Organization has had a significant impact on the implementation of the activities of the programme and invites States to continue to support these activities through the Organization's regular budget, as well as the Trust Fund, and encourages the Secretariat to explore practical solutions including partnership models with academic institutions in participating States to help ensure the Programme's financial sustainability when regular budget funds are no longer available. We also express our sincere appreciation to all Member States that have made financial and in-kind contributions to ensure the continued success of the Programme of Assistance.

Mr. Chair,

The Group of G77 and China welcomes that, during the reporting period, the Regional Course in International Law for Latin America and the Caribbean, was held at the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago from 23 May to 16 May, 2025, for Asia-Pacific was held at the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok from 18 November to 11 December 2024, and for Africa it was held at the Economic Commission for Africa in Addis Ababa from 20 February to 14 March 2025. The Group also notes with satisfaction the International Law Fellowship Programme was also held in The Hague from 7 to 25 July 2025, as well as the various seminars organized by the Codification Division.

Mr. Chair,

The importance and utility of the Audiovisual Library of International Law cannot be overstated. It continues to provide virtual high-quality training to an unlimited number of individuals around the world free of charge through the internet. The Group of 77 and China also supports the off-site recording sessions undertaken by the Codification Division in various locations in order to promote a broader geographical and linguistic representation of the recorded lectures and to record lecturers who are unable to travel to New York and encourage remote recording where applicable. We also commend the Codification Division for its efforts to facilitate access to the lectures for users with limited high-speed Internet on computers and mobile devices through the Library podcast.

We applaud the efforts of the Office of Legal Affairs to promote knowledge of international law in an inclusive manner and encourage its continued outreach to Member States to inform them of how to access and use available resources.

The Group reiterates the importance of the Programme of Assistance in achieving SDG 16, more particularly, Target 16.3 which calls for the promotion of the rule of law at the national and international levels. The training activities under the Programme will ensure greater dissemination of international law and, ultimately, strengthen the rule of law.

I thank you.