Co-Facilitators,

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

2. At the outset, I wish to express the Group's sincere appreciation to you, co-facilitators, for your efforts in compiling and providing us with the May Report on the Review of the Implementation of General Assembly Resolution 61/16 on the Strengthening of the Economic and Social Council, as well as the Draft Elements for the Resolution on the Strengthening of ECOSOC and the possible timeline for the new ECOSOC cycle. Those documents reflect the general outcome of the seven rounds of consultations and form a solid basis for advancing the discussion.

3. At this critical juncture, it is important to recall that the main objective of the review of ECOSOC under resolution 61/16 is to make the Council more relevant, effective and responsive to real global sustainable development challenges in line with a 'transformative vision' and in the context of major initiatives and meetings within the United Nations. In this regard, a strengthened ECOSOC must stay focused on development and remain the principal organ of the United Nations for coordination, policy review, policy dialogue and recommendations on issues relating to sustainable development, as well as for the implementation of international development goals agreed at the major United Nations conferences and summits, including the Millennium Development Goals.

4. The Group of 77 & China concurs with the vision that a strengthened ECOSOC should be an active player, a leader and a 'convening hub' where the wider UN development system, together with development entities, including international trade and financial institutions and other stakeholders, can debate, cooperate, enrich and complement each other's work, taking into account their respective responsibilities and mandates. The Group wishes to reiterate the importance of coherence within the UN system, as well as the maintenance of synergy between other development agencies. The harmonisation of the work and agenda of the General Assembly and its Second and Third Committees, the HLPF and ECOSOC, is necessary to eliminate duplication and overlap in the treatment of similar or related issues.

5. In view of the increased UN membership, and given the added responsibilities of ECOSOC, as well as the envisaged role for the Council to be proactively supporting the implementation and follow-up of sustainable development and the UN development agenda beyond 2015, a strengthened ECOSOC must have a membership structure with equitable geographical representation to make it a truly democratic and relevant principal UN body. This important issue raised during the consultation process must be given serious consideration and good faith discussions must continue in the wider context of reviewing the Council, without amendment to the UN Charter. This highly relevant issue needs to be incorporated into the elements for any resolution to be discussed and approved.

Co-Facilitators

6. With regard to the specific elements of your report, the Group of 77 & China wishes to make the following preliminary contributions. Firstly, we wish to underscore the important linkage and synergies between ECOSOC, the General Assembly and the HLPF. In accepting the 'hybrid' option for the Forum, the Group of 77 calls for a 'functional approach' on its placement, to ensure the Forum is created and adequately supported to carry out the Rio+20 outcomes and mandates. In accordance with the Rio mandate, the organisational structure of the Forum must also guarantee, universal participation, representation and decision-making of all States on equal footing, in all meetings and at all levels, when convened under the auspices of either ECOSOC or the General Assembly. In the context of the hybrid approach for the HLPF, it would be important that the substantive and institutional linkages between the ECOSOC and the HLPF are clearly defined and delineated in order to maximise substantive coherence and cross-institutional synergies, as indicated in your report.

7. Secondly, the Group of 77 reiterates its call and support to anchor ECOSOC meetings, particularly its substantive session, in New York. We are, however, flexible on the possible continuation to alternate the humanitarian session between New York and Geneva and other locations as necessary.

8. Thirdly, the Group seeks further clarification and is still considering the implications of the proposed new segment structure relating to a possible July-July cycle and its associated timelines. We stress the importance of having synergy between the GA, ECOSOC and the HLPF. Moreover, the effective participation of developing countries must not be undermined, but strengthened, by the proposed new structure. In addition, the desire for a better sequencing of activities by ECOSOC and the need for more action and solution-oriented outcomes must not result in a weakened ECOSOC in practice. In this regard, adequate funding and enhanced secretariat support must be given to both ECOSOC and the HLPF to ensure their effective operation and the discharge of their assigned functions and mandates.

9. Fourthly, the Group of 77 is of the view that ECOSOC must keep a strong focus on development issues within the restructured sessions, with a special platform to address the development concerns of developing countries, in particular, the most vulnerable countries including least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), small island developing states (SIDS) and Africa, with the aim of enhancing engagement and implementing commitments, as well as the specific development challenges facing the middle-income countries to achieve sustainable development.

10. Fifthly, the Group of 77 supports a High-level Development Week, which focuses on development cooperation and enhances global dialogue on sustainable development. One of the key objectives of this High-level Development Week should be to follow-up on the implementation of the International Conference on Financing for Development, and promote coordination of the Financing for Development process with the intergovernmental process on sustainable development financing. The Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) and the biennial High-level Development Cooperation Forum (DCF) as estalished in resolution 61/16 must remain an integral part of the Development Week.

11. Sixthly, the Group recognises the contribution of multi-stakeholders and encourages ECOSOC to engage, as appropriate, all relevant stakeholders, major political groups and regional organisations in the work of the Council. We stress however, that the participation of multi-stakeholders must follow the relevant UN rules of procedure and must not undermine the intergovernmental process and decision-making procedure of the UN system.

12. Finally, the Group of 77 and China reiterates its support in our collective effort to reform and establish the ECOSOC we want. I thank you, Co-Facilitators.