Excellencies,

This session takes place at the critical time when only 17 percent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets are on track to be achieved in the remaining 6 years to 2030. This is evident that there has been limited progress on the commitments made since the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda will provides the framework on the means of implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The G77 and China stresses that financing is a key driver in accelerating the 2030 Agenda implementation. Developing countries continue to face rising Sustainable Development Goals financing gap estimated between USD 2.5 trillion and 4 trillion annually. This financing gap is heightened by inter alia; elevated debt burdens, limited fiscal space and adverse impacts of climate change undermining the efforts of developing countries to accelerate actions to achieve the SDGs. The G77 and China emphasizes that achieving the SDGs requires new, additional, quality, adequate, sustainable, and predictable financing.

The G77 and China emphasizes that advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda requires provision and mobilization of adequate means of implementation to developing countries. Therefore, the G77 and China stresses that actions and ideas to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda and achievement of SDGs should include, inter alia:

- Urgent reform of the international financial architecture, and multilateral development bank governance reform;
- Access to concessional finance by all developing countries, in particular low- and middle-income countries;
- Fulfilment of existing commitments, including ODA and Climate Finance by developed countries and as well as announcement of new commitments;
- Improved global sovereign debt architecture with the meaningful participation of developing countries, allowing for fair, balanced and development-oriented treatment;
- Elimination of the surcharge policy by the IMF;
- Urgent need for scaling up debt swaps for SDGs, including debt swaps for climate and nature, to allow developing countries to use debt service payments for investments in sustainable development;
- Voluntary rechanneling of unutilized Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to developing countries as well as the new allocation of the SDRs;
- Establishment of measures of progress on sustainable development that complement or go beyond GDP;
- Improvement of the multilateral trading system;
- Prevention and combating illicit financial flows that drain resources from developing countries;
- Strengthening international tax cooperation to ensure its inclusivity and effectiveness;
- Refrain from promulgating and applying the unilateral economic, financial and trade measures as these impede the full achievement of economic and social development in developing countries, and;
- Increase Foreign Direct Investment flows to developing countries.
 
The G77 and China calls on developed countries and international financial institutions to take urgent actions in a timely manner to fully implement the Secretary General's proposal for the SDG Stimulus for developing countries to tackle the high cost of debt and rising risks of debt distress, to enhance support to developing countries and to massively scale up affordable long-term financing for development and expand contingency financing to countries in need.

Excellencies,

The G77 and China stresses that this fourth international conference should agree on appropriate actions that advance the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda and SDG Summits Political Declarations as well as Ministerial Declarations.

Finally, the G77 and China reiterates its commitment towards the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda. The G77 and China looks forward to engage constructively in the conference preparatory activities, including the intergovernmental consultations of its outcome document, with a view of ensuring that developing countries get the required means of implementation that support their pursuit to achieve sustainable development.

I thank you.

The G77 and China extends its deepest appreciation to Ambassador José Blanco, Permanent Representative of the Dominican Republic and Ambassador Merete Fjed Brattested, Permanent Representative of Norway as Co-facilitators of the intergovernmental consultations and their respective team for their exceptional steering of the informal consultations. We particularly commend the Co-facilitators for upholding the intergovernmental nature of the informal consultations in a transparent, open and inclusive manner.

The excellent co-facilitation of the informal consultations concluded with achieving a concise and action oriented Ministerial Declaration, which is before us for adoption. This intergovernmental process should set as an example of all future intergovernmental processes. Furthermore, we commend our coordinators, the experts from Argentina, Brazil, Egypt and Kenya who excellently negotiated on behalf of G77 and China.

Excellencies,

The G77 and China engaged constructively throughout the informal consultations with the sole objective of ensuring that the Ministerial Declaration to be adopted at this year's HLPF contains concrete actions to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the 2023 SDG Summit Political Declaration. In this regard, the G77 and China despite having concerns on some issues fully supports the final draft of the Ministerial Declaration circulated by Co-facilitators and the President of ECOSOC considering that the text is balanced.

Excellencies,

The G77 and China appreciates the efforts by the Co-facilitators for their resolve to respect the commitment of leave no country or person behind made by all our leaders in 2015 and the integrity of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. However, we note with deep concern that silence was broken on the formulation by the Co-facilitators on paragraph 17 whose text is verbatim language from paragraph 35 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The G77 and China reaffirms that sustainable development cannot be realized without peace and security, and that peace and security will be at risk without sustainable development. In this regard, the G77 and China further recognizes that the countries in conflict and post-conflict situations, among least developed countries, and countries and peoples living under foreign occupation have specific structural challenges and require context-specific approaches, including targeted national policies and international support measures to address these challenges and to support peacebuilding, State-building activities and sustainable development.

The G77 and China also reaffirms in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, the need to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of States.

The G77 and China further reaffirms our firm rejection of unilateral economic, financial or trade measures and reiterates the urgent need to eliminate them immediately. The G77 and China notes with concern that there is no reference to Unilateral Coercive Measures and the need to refrain from applying them against developing countries, despite it being agreed language of the 2030 Agenda.

The G77 and China expresses its disappointment that a vote has been called on paragraph 17, which undermines the commitment made by all our leaders in 2015 and increasingly threatens our collective commitment to achieve the 2030 Agenda. In this regard, the G77 and China urges all delegations to vote in favor of retention of paragraph 17 and the whole Ministerial Declaration incase votes are requested. Despite this vote, the G77 and China wish to state that this verbatim language from the 2030 Agenda remains agreed and any attempts to change this shall not be accepted.

Finally, the G77 and China fully supports the adoption of the Ministerial Declaration. The political commitment and will by all of us to advance the implementation of the 2030 Agenda remain critical in accelerating actions at all levels to achieve the SDGs.

I thank you.

At the outset the group expresses its gratitude to the co-facilitators, the Permanent Representatives of the kingdom of Belgium and the Kingdom of Morocco, for their dedication as we negotiated the resolution. We also thank the delegation of Egypt for the hard work and commitment to the role of coordinator during the negotiation of the Resolution on the modalities of the WSSD within the Group.

The group also expresses its appreciation to the Government of Qatar for the offer to host this significant event. The group appreciates the flexibility and fairness, expressed by our partners, which led to the agreement that the second Summit be hosted by a member of the G-77 and China at the level of Head of State or Government in the State of Qatar from 4 to 6 November 2025.

Mr. President,

It is imperative that we build on the foundation laid by the inaugural summit, enhancing our strategies and modalities to better meet the evolving needs of our societies.

The Second World Summit for Social Development is a pivotal opportunity to reassess and refine our approaches towards social development, ensuring that they are inclusive, comprehensive sustainable, and responsive to the diverse needs of all. This resolution underscores the importance of collaborative efforts, innovative solutions, and a commitment to equity and justice in our pursuit of social progress.

Mr. President,

The Commission for Social Development (CSocD) plays and will continue to play a fundamental role in shaping and guiding the international social development agenda. Its efforts in policy formulation, research, and advocacy have been instrumental in addressing issues such as poverty eradication, social inclusion, and employment. Accordingly, the role of CSocD should be strengthened in this domain. The upcoming Summit will build upon the Commission's extensive work, ensuring that its insights and recommendations are integrated into our strategies and actions.

The group further recognizes that the broader United Nations system, including specialized agencies, funds, programs, and regional commissions, has significantly contributed to advancing social development. They have been pivotal in addressing a wide range of social issues, from health and education to gender equality and social protection. Their collective efforts have laid a strong foundation for sustainable development and will be integral to the discussions of the Summit.

The group also recognizes that, within the UN system, the mandate of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), has placed it as a leading UN agency in advancing the decent work agenda. We also note its contribution to the agenda of social justice, while recognizing the interdependence between the three core themes of social development to be accorded due attention on an equal basis.

Regarding the Political Declaration, the Group reiterates that it should be a concise, action-oriented declaration, agreed in advance by consensus through intergovernmental negotiations in New York. This declaration should emphasize a social development approach including the need to place people at the center of development and give momentum to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The Second World Summit for Social Development serves as a crucial platform for dialogue, knowledge exchange, and the forging of new alliances and of international cooperation on the three core themes of social development, namely poverty eradication, full and productive employment and decent work for all and social integration. It is through such collective endeavors that we can address the root causes of unmet social development and create a more just and equitable world.

We reaffirm our commitment to the principles outlined in this resolution and call upon all stakeholders to actively engage in this global initiative. Together, we can build a future where social development is not merely an aspiration but a tangible reality for all.

I thank you for your attention.