At the outset, the Group would like to express its appreciation to the co-facilitators, Sierra Leone and Albania, for their efforts in structuring and circulating the zero draft of the Ministerial Declaration. We recognize the work undertaken to bring together a wide range of inputs into a single, coherent document.

The Group considers that the zero draft provides a useful basis for our discussions. We are pleased to note that some important issues and priorities for the Group were included in the text. At the same time, we are concerned that a number of relevant priorities for our 134 countries, which were clearly reflected in the Group's inputs, have not been adequately captured in the text as currently presented. We will elaborate on these elements during our interventions under the relevant sections and will engage constructively in the negotiation of the declaration.

We also wish to express our regret that, as it was the case in previous years, the negotiations have not been conducted on a line-by-line basis from the outset of the process. In our view, the current approach of circulating successive revisions does not facilitate a sufficiently thorough and inclusive discussion, particularly given the complexity and importance of the document under consideration.

In this regard, the Group would like to kindly request that the co-facilitators consider reverting to a line-by-line negotiation format, as was the practice in earlier processes. We believe that such an approach would better support transparency, ownership, and consensus-building among Member States.

The Group will be submitting its inputs and proposed amendments in due course. In doing so, we have made a concerted effort to ensure that our contributions remain concise, focused, action-oriented, and forward-looking across all SDGs.

We reaffirm our constructive engagement in this process and look forward to working closely with all delegations to achieve a balanced and ambitious outcome.

Thank you.

Section 1

The Group strongly supports the inclusion of language that reaffirms the 2030 Agenda as the universally agreed and comprehensive framework for sustainable development.

We will propose important refinements to better reflect the systemic and interconnected crises currently facing our world and particularly affecting developing countries, so that we can provide a balanced and inclusive articulation of these challenges.

We welcome the reaffirmation of the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions, including extreme poverty, as the greatest global challenge facing the world today and an overarching objective of the 2030 Agenda.

It is extremely important to recognize that progress in achieving sustainable development in its economic, social and environmental dimensions is severely off track. We also stress the importance of quantifying the SDG financing gap, now estimated at $4.0 trillion annually for developing countries, and highlighting the urgent need for affordable, predictable, sustainable, and sufficient development finance long-standing priorities for our Group.

The Group also supports the inclusion of language on digital divides and their development implications. We emphasize the need to increase investment, build capacity, and ensure equitable access to digital infrastructure, so that developing countries can fully participate in the global digital economy.

Additionally, the Group supports the inclusion of language that opposes unilateral economic, financial, or trade measures not in accordance with international law and the Charter. These measures undermine national sovereignty and hamper economic and social development, especially in developing countries.

Section 2

We believe that paragraphs addressing multilateralism and global cooperation can be better addressed in Section II, which is more action-oriented. In general, we stress the need to strengthen the overall framing of the declaration by reaffirming international solidarity and cooperation as essential pillars for the implementation of the 2030 Agenda.

The principles of the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, including the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities, should be clearly reflected to ensure that equity and historical responsibilities are adequately addressed.

We also consider important to emphasize the mutually reinforcing link between peace and development and the need to build inclusive societies ensuring support for post-conflict recovery, notably through the active role of women in peacebuilding. We call for the reaffirmation of the right to self-determination for peoples living under colonial or foreign occupation, as well as the need to respect the territorial integrity and political independence of States. We believe it is necessary to include explicit reference to the Charter of the United Nations in the Declaration.

The language from the 2025 HLPF Ministerial Declaration remains broadly acceptable and can serve as a better basis.

We welcome the recognition of special challenges facing all developing countries in pursuing sustainable development. We propose a reaffirmation of the recent adopted programmes of action for LDC, LLDCs and SIDS, as well a clear reference to the development of a system-wide inter-agency response plan for middle-income countries, in line with the Secretary-General's mapping exercise and consistent with the guidance of the 2024 QCPR.

The Group recommends including elements that are central to the implementation of the SDGs in developing countries. These include capacity- building and technology transfer, addressing data gaps, bridging digital and technological divides, among others.

We also clearly stress that any reference to climate change should be based on previous agreed language in a balanced manner and avoid reopening discussions on this matter, since SDG 13 is not in-depth review this year.

Finally, we propose a more integrated approach that highlights national leadership, regional collaboration, and global partnerships as mutually reinforcing levels of action, while maintaining the importance of broad stakeholder inclusion.

SDG 6

The Group notes with concern that the zero draft does not adequately reflect the significant gap between current progress and the level of ambition required to achieve SDG 6 by 2030. Bridging this implementation gap must remain central to the declaration. In this regard, the Group underscores the need to explicitly reflect the multiple and interlinked water-related challenges, including desertification, drought, floods, and increasing water stress, which disproportionately affect developing countries.

The Group further observes the absence of any meaningful reference to financing, which constitutes a critical means of implementation. We therefore call for the inclusion of a dedicated paragraph addressing the provision of adequate, predictable, and accessible financial resources.

The Group will also seek to strengthen language related to capacity-building and technology transfer, given their essential role in enabling developing countries to enhance water management, improve service delivery, and build resilience.

In addition, we emphasize the important role of United Nations system, including relevant United Nations agencies, funds, and programmes within their mandates, and its various agencies in supporting national efforts through coordinated and effective assistance.

Finally, the Group intends to propose the addition of two paragraphs, one on the United Nations Water Conference and another on the Dushanbe Water Process, to reinforce global cooperation on water-related issues.

SDG 7

On SDG7, the Group expresses its appreciation to the co-facilitators for including broad elements from some of its inputs in the zero draft. While the draft presented provides a good basis to build our negotiations on the text requires substantive strengthening and changes that meets the ambition and urgency required to meet SDG7 targets by 2030.

In this regard, the Group emphasizes the need to use agreed language from previous HLPF Ministerial Declarations and the most recent 2C Energy Resolutions in formulating the text of the document.
The Group also notes the importance of providing necessary and relevant contextual information when outlining actions to be taken. The latest 2C Resolutions are an excellent source for such context setting language.

The Group further notes that the language on means of implementation requires further strengthening, and the Group remains ready to work on language to reflect ambitious and practical efforts to progress and achieve SDG7.

The Group will provide specific language proposals to further strengthen the text, in its written inputs.

SDG 9

Regarding SDG 9, we consider the zero draft a good basis to begin discussions and appreciate the efforts to reflect many of the Group's priorities. However, we believe the language would benefit from further refinement to better align with the agreed framework of the 2030 Agenda.

In this regard, several key elements are missing that are central to our priorities on SDG 9:

First, we note the absence of an explicit focus on technology transfer, alongside enhanced financial, technological, and technical support for developing countries.

Second, while digital infrastructure is referenced, the text would benefit from a stronger development-oriented approach, that includes digital literacy, capacity-building, and the link between digitalization and social protection systems.

Third, more robust language on MSMEs and entrepreneurship, including access to financial services and digital government.
Fourth, we believe gender commitments should be more specific, including women's participation in STEM, leadership and decision-making roles, and closing the gender wage gap.

Fifth, the text would benefit from stronger language on international cooperation and global partnerships, including multilateral cooperation and targeted support for developing countries.

Finally, we highlight the need to explicitly recognize that limited access to basic infrastructure and services remains a key barrier to development, diversification, and value addition.

We believe incorporating these elements will better reflect the ambition and balance of SDG 9 within the 2030 Agenda.

SDG 11

On SDG11, the Group reaffirms that it is vital to ensure that the section is grounded in the targets as agreed upon in the 2030 Agenda.

It should also reflect milestone events to contextualise relevant and current dialogue on the issue. It should include reference to, and as per usual practice in UN documents, welcome the outcomes of the:

- thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum (WUF13), to be held from 17 to 22 May 2026, in Baku,
- and the mid-term review of the New Urban Agenda, to be held from 16 to 17 July 2026, in New York, in the form of a High-level Meeting of the United Nations General Assembly,
- and highlight the contribution of the World Urban Forum to the review of the New Urban Agenda, and the contribution of both meetings to advance efforts to reach the goal.

The text must explicitly acknowledge the specific challenges of developing countries. The growing housing affordability crisis, and the challenges of rapid urbanization bear most heavily on developing countries. Language on the means of implementation, international cooperation, and the scaling up of finance and capacity building must be included.

While 29(d) of the zero draft is dedicated to disasters, it fails to highlight that developing countries bear the brunt of disaster-related economic losses, and impacts on critical health and education infrastructure. It is important that the text acknowledges the interlinkage between SDG11 and the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.

SDG 17

The Group strongly supports the urgent call for the implementation of the Sevilla Commitment, with the aim to support developing countries in accessing and utilizing all resources for development.

This requires strengthened partnerships to advance commitments on the means of implementation, as well as strengthened international cooperation, multilateralism, and solidarity to address growing global challenges.

The Group would appreciate clarification in sub-paragraph 30(b) as to which specific structures and processes are being referred to in references to "existing structures, ongoing work, and processes."

The Group highlights the importance of official development assistance (ODA) to be expanded upon in the text in line with previous Ministerial Declarations, including the call on developed countries to scale up and fulfil their respective ODA commitments, due to the declining trend of ODA.

While appreciating the reference to debt mechanisms, the Group recommends including the latest agreed language in order to adequately reflect the impact of debt distress on developing countries.

The Group strongly supports addressing the role of North-South, South-South, and triangular cooperation in capacity-building, particularly in developing countries in science, technology, and innovation, and recommends the inclusion of digital cooperation in line with international efforts to bridge the digital divides.

The Group recommends giving North-South cooperation its rightful recognition for remaining a fundamental catalyst for sustainable development, while also recognizing that South-South and triangular cooperation are important mechanisms of international cooperation for development.

Other important fields of cooperation that require strengthened partnerships include international initiatives related to the eradication of poverty and hunger, and international commitment to prevent and combat illicit financial flows, including cooperation on assets recovery and return.

The Group supports the involvement and participation of the World Bank, IMF, and other MDBs in the HLPF, and recommends enhancing the involvement and participation of the entire UN system, including its funds, programmes, and specialized agencies.

VNRs

In the section on voluntary national reviews, the Group considers that the text provides a very solid basis and reflects the importance of the VNR process as a central pillar of the follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda.

At the same time, the Group notes that several elements included in our inputs are not yet reflected in the current draft. In particular, references to the involvement of all relevant stakeholders, including different sectors within governments as well as local authorities, civil society, academia and the private sector, remain missing. Likewise, elements aimed at strengthening support for developing countries in preparing more evidence- and data-based VNRs, references to the Group of Friends of the VNRs, captured.

The Group wishes to underscore the importance of strengthening the support provided by the international community to countries furthest behind in achieving the SDGs, including through enhanced financial resources, capacity-building and technical assistance, so as to enable them to fully engage in the VNR process and respond effectively to their specific needs and challenges.

For the Group, these elements are important not only from a substantive perspective, but also to preserve and strengthen the peer-learning character of the VNR process, as well as its inclusive and participatory nature.

2. We meet at a time of multiple, overlapping crises that are threatening sustainable development across all dimensions. For the countries of the Global South, durable, home-grown solutions are essential, but they must be complemented by stronger international cooperation and support.

3. We call for the timely and effective implementation of the Sevilla Commitment adopted in 2025 at the Fourth International Conference for Financing for Development; which we perceive as critical which is critical for the realization of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and its SDGs and their targets. That Conference was an important step for the Global South toward reinvigorating the global partnership for development. The Sevilla Commitment is a balanced, constructive and forward-looking framework that reflects the collective aspiration to scale up efforts in mobilizing financing for sustainable development, particularly for developing countries.

4. That is, resources both domestic and international and from different actors, having in mind the context of unmet Official Development Assistance commitments and other intergovernmentally agreed commitments and obligations to developing countries, as well as the challenges posed by all unilateral coercive measures that hamper the ability of the countries of the Global South to achieve sustainable development.

5. We reaffirm the urgent need for the reform of the international financial architecture, including international financial institutions and the multilateral development banks governance reform, especially of IMF and the World Bank, to broaden and strengthen the voice, and participation and representation of developing countries in international economic decision making, norm setting and global economic governance.

6. The reform also implies an improved global sovereign debt architecture with the meaningful participation of developing countries; urgent rechannelling of unutilized Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to developing countries and a new allocation of SDRs; inclusive and effective platforms to design and discuss international tax rules and norms at the UN, such as the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee on the United Nations Framework Convention on International Tax Cooperation; as well as urgent and sizeable recapitalization of the Multilateral Development Banks to meet the significant financial needs of developing countries; and rationalizing the role of credit rating agencies. The reform of the international financial architecture cannot be postponed any longer.

7. We are committed to multilateralism, and to the pursuit of a just and equitable international economic order to eradicate poverty and improve living standards in the Global South, while ensuring equitable participation of all Member States, and addressing the priorities and concerns of developing countries.

I thank you.

We thank the Co-Chairs of the Global Dialogue on AI Governance for convening today's consultations, which provide an opportunity to share the Group's views and suggestions on the proposed themes and overall structure of the Global Dialogue.

Before moving to the specific comments on the themes and structure, the Group would like to underscore the importance of facilitating the participation of representatives of developing countries in the Dialogue, including by offering travel support, as established in the modalities resolution 79/325. This would help ensure broad representation and foster richer, more impactful discussions, ultimately contributing to the overall success of the Dialogue. In this regard, we would appreciate an update from the Co-Chairs and the Secretariat on any progress made toward the implementation of paragraph 11 of said resolution.

That said, the Group would like to share the following reflections:

Regarding the proposed thematic clusters:

We thank the Co-Chairs for the proposal. Overall, the Group supports the clusters proposed by the Co-Chairs, as they reflect all the topics identified in the modalities resolution 79/325 including many of the main priorities for the Group, such as capacity building and bridging the digital divides.

Notwithstanding this, there are several areas of particular importance to the Group that are not explicitly reflected in the thematic clusters, but which can be addressed during the various discussions scheduled throughout the two-day programme.

In that sense, regarding the proposed structure:

The Group recognizes that the structure also aligns with the modalities, as it includes a multistakeholder plenary meeting, a high-level governmental segment, provides time for the presentation of the annual report of the International Scientific Panel on AI, and includes thematic discussions.

That said, we have some questions and suggestions to make both on the structure and its substance:

o Regarding the substance:

As previously noted, the Group believes that certain important areas are either missing or not adequately reflected in the proposed structure and should therefore be included in the Dialogue's discussions.

Among these, the Dialogue should provide a clearer link with Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals, with a stronger focus on development.

There should also be greater attention to financing, including financial mechanisms for capacity building, infrastructure, and the participation of developing countries. This includes references to the Global Fund on AI, which also appears to be absent on the document. These issues could be addressed within the thematic discussion on capacity building.

The Group further considers that the environmental impacts of AI should be addressed in the Dialogue. This area does not seem to fit within any of the current segments, so the Group requests its inclusion, taking into account the already proven impacts of AI data centers on energy and water, as well as on critical minerals used for AI development, which often originate in the Global South.

In the thematic discussion on "AI Opportunities and Implications: Societal, Cultural, and Economic Dimensions," the Dialogue should also consider the impact of AI on the labor market, as well as the effects of unilateral coercive measures on developing countries' capacities to develop and benefit from AI.

The Dialogue's structure should also provide space for practical discussions on AI solutions for development, including applications in agriculture, education, and health, as well as for discussions on the accountability of the private sector and technology platforms, on the importance of ensuring equitable participation of developing countries in AI governance and on the central role of the UN on the AI global governance.

o Regarding the structure and other procedural matters:

The Group appreciates the Co-Chairs' efforts to avoid simultaneous sessions. Given that many G77 delegations are relatively small, overlapping meetings could limit effective participation. The Group therefore encourages the Co-Chairs to maintain this approach.

The Group would also like the Co-Chairs to allocate more time to the High-Level governmental plenary segment and suggests that this segment not be divided into two parts, as it currently stands. It is essential to ensure sufficient time for all delegations to participate and be heard during the plenary.

In the same vein, the Group notes that the time currently allocated for the presentation of the Scientific Panel report may not allow adequate interaction with the experts. The Group would therefore like to ask the Co-Chairs whether other opportunities for engagement with the experts are envisioned.

Finally, the Group further considers that a recap session at the beginning of the second day may not be necessary. Instead, a summary could be presented at the conclusion of the Dialogue, thereby freeing additional time for substantive breakout discussions on Day 2.

On other procedural matters, the Group would like to seek clarification from the Co-Chairs on the following points:

o Considering the importance of multilingualism, the Group would like to know whether interpretation services will be provided during the Dialogue.
o The Group would also like clarification on how delegations will register to speak in the different sessions, and how it will be ensured that all delegations have the opportunity to speak.
o Will a list of civil society organizations participating in the Dialogue be published in advance?
o Will the thematic discussions be co-chaired by Member States?
o Are the Co-Chairs considering providing opportunities for engagement between governments, and between governments and the private sector, to facilitate further partnerships or pledges?

In closing, the Group reaffirms its readiness to contribute constructively to 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.

I thank you.