Excellencies, Co-Chairs,

I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

At the outset, the Group wishes to reiterate its appreciation to the Co-Chairs, Ambassador Brian Wallace, Permanent Representative of Jamaica, and Ambassador Merete Fjeld Brattested, Permanent Representative of Norway, for their work and leadership of the UN80 workstream 2.

The Group of 77 and China takes note of the non-paper and appreciates the information provided today regarding the deliberations that took place during the four workshops organized by the Co-Chairs.

The Group appreciates that the Summary of the Views of Member States included in the non-paper explicitly recognizes that criteria must be clear, objective, practical and grounded in evidence-based, impartial data; that we must avoid politicization and double standards; that the diversity of mandates, that is, the no one-size-fits-all principle, must be embedded in any criteria; and that Mandates remain valid until fully implemented or expired per their original resolution. The Group also appreciates the non-paper recognition of the need to preserve Member States' decision-making prerogatives over mandates.

The Group of 77 and China wishes to reiterate that the development pillar should maintain its priority under the UN80 Initiative, with a focus on how to further enhance support to developing countries. Whenever possible, efficiency gains should be redeployed to development activities in programme countries, with a view to fulfilling the UN80 vision of strengthening impact on the ground.

In addition, the Group wishes to reiterate its request for a dedicated exchange with the Secretariat, with a view to obtaining accurate, evidence-based and objective data, as well as impartial expertise and analysis, to support these deliberations and facilitate a better understanding of the mandates landscape.

The Group of 77 and China would welcome further clarity on how the AHWG plans to move forward towards the implementation of the mandates contained in paragraphs 21, 22 and 33 of the above mentioned resolution, and on the timeline of such endeavors. The Group would also appreciate a better understanding of how these deliberations on criteria and modalities will interact with the advice and reports requested from the Secretary-General under paragraphs 16, 18 and 24, which are subject to different timelines.

In this regard, the Group would welcome information on the expected release date of the report requested under paragraph 16 concerning the portfolio of mandated reports of the Secretary-General, as well as on the plans of the Ad Hoc Working Group in this regard, taking into account that resolution 80/251 decided that the AHWG should receive and consider this report by the end of July 2026.

The Group of 77 and China would also appreciate receiving additional detailed information to better understand the proposal outlined in the non-paper and discussed during the workshops regarding the development of a pilot project aimed at testing review methodologies through a limited set of mandates. The Group would welcome your views on how this type of endeavor would impact the timeline of our work, bearing in mind that resolution 80/251 mandates the AHWG to develop clear and objective criteria to guide decisions on the renewal, adaptation, merger, replacement or retirement of General Assembly mandates by the end of August 2026.

Excellencies, dear Co-Chairs,

The Group of 77 and China acknowledges your hard work and stands ready to continue to engage constructively, with a view to ensuring that mandates remain fit for purpose, that resources are used effectively, and that the priorities of developing countries are fully reflected and advanced.

I thank you.