2. At the outset, the Group wishes to thank you, Mr. President, for initiating this decision to establish an ad hoc working group on Work Stream 2 on mandate implementation review. We also thank the Secretary-General for his report on this Work Stream.

Mr. President,

3. The Group views the UN80 Initiative as an important step in enhancing the role of the United Nations in addressing global challenges. The Group continues to stress that any proposals under this Initiative and its three workstreams must fully respect the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, as well as the intergovernmental nature of the Organisation. Therefore, the UN80 process should strengthen, not dilute, multilateralism, ensure equitable participation of all Member States, and address the priorities and concerns of developing countries. In this regard, the Group underscores that reforms under the three workstreams, across all three pillars of the United Nations, particularly in the Development pillar, should address the priorities and concerns of developing countries, enhance their voice and representation, and be conducted through a transparent, inclusive, effective and Member State-driven process.

4. It is in this vein that the Group of 77 and China regrets that its concerns on the draft decision, conveyed in writing twice, have not been addressed. In particular, we remain concerned with the current timeline for the establishment and work of the ad hoc working group set out in the decision under consideration today. As in any given year the main segment of the UN General Assembly is an extremely busy time with full concentration being given to the many resolutions under consideration in the plenary and its six Main Committees. Convening the working group concurrently with the main session would not foster the right environment to undertake the extremely important work of the ad hoc working group as it would add further strain on smaller delegations within our group. We expect that the co-chairs of the working group would take these constraints into account.

5. Further, the Group underscores the importance of ensuring that negotiations and decision-making processes are carried out in an open, transparent, and inclusive manner, through established intergovernmental arrangements, norms and procedures. The Group trusts that future consideration of such important matters will be pursued on the basis of broad consultations, through consensus and shared ownership among all Member States.

Mr. President,

6. Please be assured of the Group's constructive engagement in this process. We look forward to the appointment of the Co-Chairs of the ad hoc working group, which should be one from a developing country and one from a developed country.

I thank you.

2. At the outset, the Group wishes to express its sincere appreciation to the Co-Facilitators for their tireless efforts and dedicated leadership throughout this complex and evolving negotiation process. We are particularly grateful to the Permanent Representatives of Costa Rica and Spain for their unwavering commitment and steady guidance.

3. We also extend our deep appreciation to the delegation of Kenya for their exemplary representation of the Group throughout the eight-month negotiation process. Their professionalism and steadfast dedication to the Group's priorities have been instrumental in advancing our collective position.

4. The Group of 77 and China recognizes the transformative potential of artificial intelligence when deployed responsibly, inclusively, and to serve the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals. If governed properly, AI could unlock new opportunities for improving public services, expanding access to education and health, enhancing digital economies, and accelerating the achievement of the 2030 Agenda. However, such benefits are contingent upon the establishment of fair and inclusive international governance frameworks that ensure equitable access, promote shared prosperity, and prevent the widening of existing technological divides. In this regard, the Group also underscores the importance of the Independent International Scientific Panel on Artificial Intelligence and the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, taking into full consideration the social, economic, ethical, cultural, linguistic, and technical implications of artificial intelligence in the conduct of their work.

5. Throughout this process, we have consistently underscored the urgent need for comprehensive international frameworks that guarantee the full inclusion of developing countries in shaping the future of AI governance. These frameworks must uphold the principles of national sovereignty, equity, and transparency, while ensuring that no one is left behind.

6. The Group of 77 and China has demonstrated considerable flexibility throughout this negotiation track, offering bridging proposals and constructive engagement at every stage. However, this flexibility should not be misconstrued as a willingness to compromise on our core priorities, first and foremost, the need for robust and inclusive capacity-building provisions. We have also emphasized the importance of meaningful participation in nomination processes, a clear outcome for the dialogue, and continuity of the mechanisms under a strong intergovernmental framework.

7. In light of these considerations, the Group of 77 and China is pleased to join consensus on the draft resolution contained in document A/79/L.118. We encourage all delegations to support this carefully negotiated outcome, which we believe lays a balanced and forward-looking foundation for international cooperation on AI governance.

8. In closing, the Group reaffirms its readiness to remain actively engaged in the implementation of this resolution, and to contribute constructively to the work of both the Scientific Panel and the Global Dialogue. We are committed to ensuring that AI governance evolves in a way that is inclusive, development-oriented, and aligned with the aspirations of the Global South.

Thank you.

At the outset, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the co-facilitators for their tireless efforts and for guiding us through a transparent, inclusive, and line-by-line negotiation process that enabled us to achieve this outcome. We also wish to extend our appreciation to the Co-Chairs of the Preparatory Committee, for their dedicated leadership in steering the preparatory phase. Finally, the Group conveys its deep gratitude to the Government and people of Spain for graciously hosting the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville and for the warm hospitality extended to all delegations.

Mr. President,

The Group supports the adoption of the outcome document. While it is not a perfect reflection of all our priorities, it does represent a forward-looking and constructive step in many critical areas of financing for development. particularly for the Global South, to address the financing gap, advance the reform of international financial architecture, and to accelerate the achievement of 2030 Agenda.

The Group is pleased that the document confirms that there is a 4 trillion-dollar financing gap, and that it commits to take concrete actions to close this gap with urgency, by providing and mobilizing additional, innovative, adequate, affordable, predictable, and accessible financing for developing countries.

On the global financing framework section, the Group highly appreciates the inclusion of the reference to the principle of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, in particular the principle of CBDR, as well as the acknowledgement of "right to development" principle which are foundational for financing for development. At the same time, however, the Group regrets the omission of the previously agreed commitment to leave no country or person behind, a guiding principle under the FfD framework that we believe must continue to guide us all.

On domestic public resources action area, the document offers a balanced and enabling framework that values both country ownership and international cooperation. It rightly recognizes that international tax cooperation must evolve to reflect the realities of developing countries, particularly LDCs, LLDCs, SIDS, and MICs, as well as those in conflict and post conflict situations. The reaffirmation of national sovereignty in fiscal policymaking further strengthens this section.

On private sector finance, we welcome the strong recognition of the need to mobilize additional private resources at scale and speed for developing countries, and the concrete steps to support MSMEs through regulatory reform. The call to enhance FDI in developing countries, aligned with national priorities, including in infrastructure and renewable energy, is timely and relevant.

We also appreciate the language reaffirming the positive role of migrants and remittances, and the importance of reducing transaction costs, while maintaining that these are not substitutes for ODA and FDI. The support for domestic capital market development through innovative and thematic instruments, project pipeline building, and guarantees through MDBs to catalyze private finance are also notable achievements.

On International Development Cooperation, we welcome the reaffirmation of ODA as a central pillar of international development cooperation as well as the commitments to increase grants. This requires reinvigorating the development cooperation architecture that honors country ownership and leadership, with a strong focus on results, inclusive partnerships, transparency, and mutual accountability, recognizing the complementary roles of all actors at all levels.

The Group values the reaffirmed central and coordinating role of the UN in international development cooperation, and the commitment to revitalize the Development Cooperation Forum (DCF).

We also highlight the Group's flexibility in referencing the upcoming OECD-DAC review process and call for that process to be inclusive, transparent, and responsive to developing countries' concerns, with its recommendations to be presented within the UN framework.

While the Group deeply regrets the omission of explicit reaffirmation of climate finance obligations under the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement, and of an explicit reference to the CBDR-RC as a guiding principle of climate action, we appreciate the balanced approach taken in the climate finance section, avoiding reinterpretation of COP decisions.

On trade, we welcome the call to Member States to refrain from promulgating and applying any unilateral economic, financial or trade measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter of the United Nations that impede the full achievement of economic and social development, particularly in developing countries. The Group reiterates that all unilateral coercive measures must be eliminated if we aim to achieve an international economic order that promotes development and economic growth.

At the same time, we regret that key priorities of the Group were not retained in the final text, including references to non-tariff measures, the negative developmental impact of environmentally motivated unilateral trade actions, and our proposal on investment agreement reform aimed at aligning international investment frameworks with the Sustainable Development Goals. The removal of language inviting ECOSOC to examine the impact of unilateral measures is also a missed opportunity for multilateral reflection and accountability.

On systemic issues, we welcome the reaffirmation of the need to enhance the voice and representation of developing countries in IFIs, and regret the persistent siloed approaches that undermine the UN's critical role in sustainable development and global economic governance.

We acknowledge the Compromiso de Sevilla as a modest step toward improving the global financial safety net. Nonetheless we remain disappointed at the lack of political will to advance meaningful solutions such as annual SDR allocations for development or the establishment of a multilateral swap line for developing countries facing crises.

We note the progress on financial regulation, particularly on credit rating agencies, and hope that the agreed special meetings will lay the foundation for more concrete multilateral initiatives. We also expect the forthcoming ECOSOC report on risk weightings to trigger substantive discussions toward removing regulatory barriers to investment in developing countries.

We commend the recognition of STI's vital role in bridging the financing and digital divides. We stress the need for scaled-up finance for STI to match the ambitions expressed in this document, and to provide developing countries the agility to address future challenges.

We also welcome the robust set of deliverables that build upon the Addis Ababa Action Agenda, acknowledging that while greater ambition was needed, this document should be seen as a foundation for further action, not a ceiling.

The G77 & China has negotiated in good faith throughout the process. We commend all delegations for their constructive engagement and flexibilities exhibited throughout the process. We therefore stress the need for us to avoid goal-shifting, misrepresenting references, and the creation of unilateral packages as this only serves to undermine the multilateral spirit of processes.

In conclusion, while the Group of 77 and China is pleased to join the consensus on this outcome document, we recognize it as an important first step forward, and therefore we call for its full, effective, timely, and balanced implementation. The deliverables must be translated into concrete action on the ground, and our collective efforts must continue to strengthen the financing for development agenda in support of developing countries.

Thank you.