Mr. President, Distinguished Members of the Board, the UNDP Administrator,

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

At the outset, I wish to warmly congratulate you, Mr. President, and the four vice presidents on your election. We are confident that under your renewed leadership, the Board will successfully navigate the challenging year ahead.

We would like to welcome the new UNDP Administrator, Mr. Alexander De Croo, and wish him great success in this important role. Mr. Administrator, the Group of the G77 and China expresses its appreciation for your statement, acknowledges UNDP's valuable contributions to implementing national and regional development plans, as well as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and reiterates our group's full support to the vision and direction outlined in the UNDP new Strategic Plan.

The United Nations Development System is a crucial partner in enhancing and accelerating assistance to developing countries in implementing their respective sustainable development priorities and supporting their efforts to achieve them through collaboration with the Resident Coordinators.

Mr. Administrator,

In 2026, we bear a significant responsibility to ensure any reform processes pertaining to UN80, including the UNDP-UNOPS merger proposed by the Secretary General, are fully respectful of the intergovernmental nature of the United Nations. Taking into account the long-term institutional and country-level consequences of these deliberations, we also wish to stress that adequate time is needed for independent verification of data and assess implications, as well as to ensure a States-led, well-informed, transparent and inclusive process. In particular, any merger proposal should not lead to the dilution of development mandates, should strengthen delivery in the ground, be objective, led by a data driven, evidence based approach, and be supported by cost-benefit analysis and comprehensive risk assessments. As you have clearly indicated, Mr. Administrator, alternative options should also be duly analyzed.

The Group of 77 and China agrees with the UNDP's Administrator vision that any reform must be operational and cannot pause or interrupt on the ground delivery. In addition, we consider any reform should remain fully aligned with the QCPR and the UNDS repositioning resolutions, which emphasize agile coordination, comparative advantage, and country-tailored models. We commend UNDP Country Programmes' continued emphasis on national ownership and leadership, which are indispensable to address developing countries' specific needs and priorities. Country Programme Documents should remain the core programmatic and oversight framework, and any institutional adjustments should not weaken the Board's ability to guide, monitor, and hold the system accountable for country-level results.

The Group of 77 and China supports the role of Resident Coordinators in promoting greater coherence, coordination, and impact on the ground. At the same time, we consider that large operational agencies should retain direct access to national counterparts when this is the host country's preference, including to avoid excessive bureaucratization and the weakening of responsiveness, partnerships, and delivery at the country level.

The Group of 77 and China reiterates its growing concern about the continuing decline in core resources and the widening gap between core and non-core funding, a trend that risks undermining the ability of UNDP to effectively deliver on its mandate, particularly in the poorest and most vulnerable countries. We extend our appreciation to all Member States that continue to provide its financial support to UNDP, and we reiterate our longstanding call for a significant increase in core contributions, urging all development partners to reverse the current trajectory by providing adequate, predictable, and flexible funding, which is indispensable to achieving the Strategic Plan's objectives. As it has been pointed out by you, Mr. Administrator, development is not a cost: it is an investment in stability, human dignity and peace and prosperity on a livable planet, and needs to be back at the heart of global-decision making.

Finally, regarding the concern raised in our letter dated 30 January 2026 over the significant reduction in the resources to be allocated by UNDP to the UN Office on South south cooperation under the 2026-2029 Strategic Framework, the Group of 77 and China wishes to acknowledge and appreciate the constructive dialogue maintained with you and your team with a view to ensuring continued support to the Trust Funds, and looks forward to counting with all relevant information in order to better understand the impact of such a proposal.

Mr. Administrator,

Amid the multiple global crises we are currently facing, we wish to assure you of our Group's firm support to your leadership in restoring trust in international cooperation through tangible results and deliverables for the people we serve.

I thank you.