Co-Chairs,
Distinguished Delegates and representatives,

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

2. An overview of the results achieved since the landmark Conference of 1972, the Earth Summit in 1992 and the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002, show that there is a persistent implementation gaps, and many commitments by the international community have not been fully met at the time when the world is still suffering from the repercussion of the combined global food crisis, energy crisis and global economic and financial crisis and climate change.

3. The effects of the global financial and economic crisis continues to unfold in developing countries, revealing serious multidimensional challenges, adversely affecting our economies and people, eroding hard won gains and sending millions of our people into poverty (additional 90 million people will be living in extreme poverty by the end of 2010). These challenges are posing serious threats to the achievement of sustainable development.

Co-Chairs,

4. The momentum towards an unsustainable future could be reversed if action to address the multi-dimensional challenges of sustainable development can be taken simultaneously in relation to the three pillars of sustainable development - economic development, social development and environmental protection. We cannot overemphasize the need for a coordinated, integrated, balanced and urgent approach to sustainable development.

5. The Group believes that there is a need for more holistic approach towards sustainable development. Consequently, a refinement of strategies and sharper policy perspectives aimed at effective implementation of the outcomes of the major summits on sustainable development, especially at the regional and national level complemented by stronger and effective international mechanisms in terms of global and regional support as well as significantly greater financial commitments, is essential.

6. On account of lack of implementation, achievement of internationally agreed development goals, including the MDG's, remains compromised.

Co-Chairs,

7. There is undoubtedly a gap in implementation, which is particularly visible in four main areas:

First, there are several critical gaps with regard to the fulfillment of international commitments, although a number of achievements have been made. While countries have expanded their menu of policy options, this has not led towards greater policy coherence. There is a lack of mutually coherent policies or approaches in the areas of finance, trade investment, capacity building, technology transfer and sustainable development.

Second, no major change has occurred since United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in the patterns of consumption and production, which are putting the natural life support system at peril. Fundamental changes in the way societies produce and consume are indispensible global sustainable development. Actions should be taken in Sustainable production and consumption patterns with the developed countries taking the lead, in accordance with the Rio principles specially the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.

Third, a fragmented approach has been adopted towards sustainable development,

Fourth, the financial resources required for implementing Agenda 21 have not been forthcoming and mechanisms for the transfer of technology have not been improved. Since 1992, official development assistance (ODA) has declined proportionally, the burden of debt has constrained options for poor countries and the expanding flows of private investment have been volatile and directed only at few countries and sectors.

Co-Chairs,

8. Guided by the "Rio Spirit", a Rio-plus-20 Summit and their Preparatory Committee meeting should provide the necessary political impetus for the range and level of action required to bridge the implementation gap, in developing countries, especially Africa, LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS which grapple with the effects of multiple crises. Furthermore, it's critical that the international community's commitment to international cooperation needs to be reinforced.

9. The means of implementation must be underscored, which we views as a global responsibility, given the global nature of the challenges the world faces today. In the context, the Group would like to reiterate the following:

- The downward trends in ODA and capital flows, including FDI, and systemic imbalances in the international financial system, including the institutional architecture, must be urgently addressed. The commitment of developed countries to allocate 0.07 per cent of their GDP to developing countries in the framework of ODA must be met.

- We call for the fulfillment of all official development assistance-related commitments, including the commitments made by many developed countries to achieve the target of 0.7 per cent of gross national income for official development assistance by 2015, as well as the target of 0.15 per cent to 0.20 per cent of gross national income for least developed countries, and urge those developed countries that have not yet done so to make concrete efforts in this regard in accordance with their commitments.

- We are concerned that, at the current rate, the commitment of doubling aid to Africa by 2010 as articulated at the Summit of the Group of Eight, held at Gleneagles from 6 to 8 July 2005, will not be reached.

- The need for the mobilization of financial resources and allocation of grants and credits. In this framework, the Group calls for substantial increase and allocation of additional financial resources and investment.

- Urgent need for the international community to adopt an effective, equitable, durable and development-oriented solution to the debt problem of developing countries, particularly through total debt cancellation, and increased concessional financial flows.

- The shortfall of technology transfer and dissemination should become the focus of the international community and the UN system, including at the highest political level. This should include the full implementation of the Bali Strategic Plan for Technology Support and Capacity Building, but should also go well beyond this, so as to attain the goals contained in Chapter 34 of Agenda 21. Lack of progress in implementing JPOI agreements on technology transfer is a serious priority issue.

- Technology transfer to support sustainable development, including adaptation to and mitigation of climate change; transfer of environmentally sound and clean technologies.

- The Rio+20 should also identify ways for the UN system to increase capacity building support for national sustainable development plans and strategies in developing countries.

- The need for a universal, rules-based, open, non-discriminatory and equitable multilateral trading system which promotes development, and the need to redouble efforts towards the reinvigoration of the multilateral trade negotiations and to achieve a development-oriented outcome of the Doha Round

- We urge the UN system and international institutions, in particular UNCTAD, to scale up efforts to integrate trade and development.

- The Group considers it important to make private sector development compatible with sustainable development, emphasizing corporate social responsibility, involving both home countries and host countries for trans-national and multinational corporations, and in this regard assessing the role of public private partnerships in achieving JPOI goals and targets.

I thank you.