"Peace, Sovereignty and Solidarity for Development"

Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,

1. As Prime Minister of Thailand's Special Envoy to this Summit, I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China. The Group is pleased to extend our hearty congratulations to the Non-Aligned Movement on its 55th Anniversary commemoration.

2. At the outset, I would like to express my appreciation to the Islamic Republic of Iran as outgoing Chair and congratulate the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela on assuming the Chairmanship of the Non-Aligned Movement. The Group of 77 and China is confident that Venezuela will ably guide the Movement in making positive contributions to global peace and prosperity.

Mr. Chairman,

NAM in the current global context

3. The vision of Bandung for lasting peace and security, which has underpinned the mandates of this great Movement, remains relevant to the international community today.

4. Since our last Summit in Tehran, there has been a global paradigm shift towards sustainable development and inclusive growth with the adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) last year.

5. This Summit's theme "Peace, Sovereignty and Solidarity for Development" is very timely since the world leaders will gather next week in New York for the 71st Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA) to discuss the implementation of SDGs. This NAM summit will help to shape the deliberations of UNGA on how to implement SDGs nationally and globally.

6. This is a great opportunity for NAM to place the priorities and concerns of the developing countries on the global agenda. The total cost of financing the implementation of SDGs is estimated to be trillions of dollars per year. How will the developing countries be able to finance their SDGs implementation. NAM should take part in asking the international community in particular the developed countries to address this issue. NAM together with G-77 and China should be the roar of the developing countries in the global community.

Mr. Chairman,

SDGs16: Interconnectedness of Peace and Development

7. The purpose of SDGs is to promote both prosperity and peace in the world. NAM also needs to make our impact felt on the issue of peace. In this connection, NAM should underscore its contributions thus far and its potential in the future global peace and security. NAM has provided the political space for great number of developing countries enabling them to avoid entanglement in the conflict between the Great Powers, thereby limiting the scope the past Cold War and the ongoing Cool War.
By championing the creation of peaceful and inclusive societies, NAM will be the beacon of peace in the present age of the return of Realpolitik.

8. NAM and G-77 and China should underscore the message of SDG 16 that "Development, peace and security" are clearly interdependent and mutually reinforcing. In this connection, sustainable development is a prerequisite to sustainable peace. Investment in development is the most cost-effective approach to achieving a sustainable peace because socio-economic disparity and grievances are the most common causes of tension. Development can bridge the have and have-nots and hence has a pacifying effect in reducing the risks of conflict. Sustainable peace is not possible without sustainable development and vice versa.

9. The Group of 77 and China has, since the Charter of Algiers in 1967, called for joint efforts of developing countries to advance socio-economic development in tandem with the promotion of peace. The G-77 and China advocates a holistic approach to sustainable development that is people-centred and inclusive, leaving no one behind.

10. The Group of 77 and China stands ready to partner with NAM in championing the cause of developing countries in advancing SDGs and ensuring the burdens of their implementation are equitably shared. In doing so, the developing countries will make a dynamic impact on global peace and security.

Mr. Chairman

The imperative of pursuit of decolonization agenda

11. The G77 and China and The Non-Aligned Movement attache the great importance to the Universal goal of decolonization, one of four basic purposes embodied in the Charter of the United Nations and recognized as a fundamental human right in both the two central International Covenants on Human rights of 1966 and in countless other international and regional instruments. This goal remains valid and essential to ensure and to guarantee universal respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

12. In this regard, we reaffirm that there is no alternative to the full implementation of the principle of self-determination, and calls upon the United Nations to fulfill its responsibilities and to expedite the process towards the complete elimination and eradication of colonialism. We call also on UN Member States to speed up the process by supporting the full and effective implementation of the Plan of Action of the International Decade for the Eradication of colonialism (2011-2020).

Mr. Chairman

Sovereignty and Right to Development

13. Sovereignty is a basic principle of NAM enshrined in the Bandung Declaration. In this world of diverse cultures, sovereignty in connection with sustainable development is the right of each country to adopt its own development priorities and strategies in accordance with its own values without external interference. There should not be any attempt to pressure any country to conform to the political or economic ideology of another country. In other words, there should be no "one size fits all" approach to sustainable development.

14. In accordance with SDGs 17, (Partnerships for the Goals) the Group 77 and China calls for an increased cooperation between G-77 and China and NAM in promoting South-South and global partnership in the implementation of 2030 Development Agenda, together the North-South cooperation.

Mr. Chairman,

15. In sum, I would like to reiterate that the Group of 77 and China and NAM should work hand in hand, including through the framework of the Joint Coordination Committee, in driving the global development agenda for the benefit of the developing countries. This Summit presents an opportunity for us to redefine the way NAM can play a more relevant role in addressing the expectations and aspirations of our peoples. Only in unity and solidarity that lasting peace and sustainable development will not be beyond our reach.