Mr. President,

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, a group comprised of 134 countries, representing 2/3 of the General Assembly.

The 2026 High-Level Political Forum convenes at a very critical juncture. With only four years remaining to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, progress remains uneven, and in many cases, far off track. We are confronted with rising poverty, hunger, unemployment, geopolitical tensions, climate change, global economic uncertainty, unilateral coercive measures, alarming financing gap, among other challenges that have compounded existing inequalities and reversed hard-won development gains, particularly for developing countries.

Despite significant effort, the current pace and scope of implementation of the 2030 Agenda is still quite distant from achieving sustainable development for all, in particular for the poorest and most vulnerable, falling short of the pledge to leave no one behind.

In this regard, the group reemphasizes that eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, is the greatest global challenge and an indispensable requirement for sustainable development. As such, it must be at the centre of our work.

Mr. President,

At a time of growing global uncertainties and complexities, the Group reaffirms its full adherence to the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter and its commitment to advance the United Nations' three pillars. In this context, the Group reaffirms that there can be no sustainable development without peace and no peace without sustainable development.

The Group underscores that sustainable development cannot be achieved in a context of unilateralism and coercive measures. Unilateral coercive measures contrary to international law and the Charter of the United Nations undermine the ability of developing countries to achieve the SDGs.

We also stress the need to address the severe difficulties faced by countries and peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation, and to remove the obstacles to their right to self-determination and right to development. The Group reaffirms the need to respect the territorial integrity and national unity of States, in accordance with the UN Charter.

The Group further reaffirms all the principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, guiding our discussions on sustainable development, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.

In addition, the Group underscores that the provision and mobilisation of adequate means of implementation is central to build a more resilient, equitable and sustainable future for all: without enhanced international cooperation and the fulfillment of commitments, the Goals will remain beyond reach for the vast majority of developing countries, not yet fully delivering on our common aim to leave no one behind. This includes, access to technology, including through technology transfer in concessional and preferential terms.

Mister President,

While recalling that the SDGs are integrated, indivisible and interlinked, and that they balance the three dimensions of sustainable development, we would like to mention the priorities of the group related to the SDGs under review this year.

On Goal 6, Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all, we underscore that access to safe and affordable drinking water and sanitation is fundamental to sustainable development, poverty eradication and public health. We call for strengthened international cooperation, increased public and concessional financing, investments in adaptation to climate change and resilient water infrastructure, as well as enhanced capacity building for developing countries.

On Goal 7, Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all, the Group is deeply concerned that close to 655 million people remain without access to electricity and over 2 billion without access to clean cooking. The group further highlights that energy transitions must be just, orderly and equitable, reflecting national circumstances and the national development priorities of developing countries.

On Goal 9, Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation, the Group underscores that industrialisation is critical for structural transformation, economic diversification and job creation, yet many developing countries continue to face structural constraints that limit their participation in global manufacturing and value chains. We need to accelerate inclusive and sustainable industrialization through strengthened support for productive capacities and small and medium-sized enterprises. Bridging the digital divide requires meaningful technology transfer on concessional and preferential terms, and supportive intellectual property frameworks that do not hinder access to critical technologies.

On Goal 11, Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, rapid urbanization presents significant challenges. Sustainable and inclusive urban development is needed to ensure affordable housing, sustainable transport, disaster risk reduction and resilient urban infrastructure, especially for the most vulnerable.

Goal 17, Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development, remains the cornerstone of the 2030 Agenda. We reiterate the need for a comprehensive reform of the financial architecture, with the full and effective participation of developing countries in decision making processes of international financial institutions. Urgent measures to achieve debt sustainability and socioeconomic equality for all are needed. Official development assistance commitments, including the 0.7 per cent target, must be fulfilled. Climate finance must be delivered in line with existing obligations and be primarily grant-based. South-South cooperation complements, but does not substitute for, North-South cooperation. We also call for the timely and effective implementation of the Sevilla Commitment.

In conclusion, Mister President, 2030 is now within sight, and the time for incremental action has passed. Achieving sustainable development for all demands a renewed and far stronger collective commitment to translate our shared goals into tangible results. The Group of 77 and China stands ready to engage constructively to that end.

I thank you.