Dear Co-Chairs, distinguished delegates,

I have the honor to deliver this final statement on behalf of the Group of the G77 and China.

1.- The Group of 77 and China wishes to express its sincere appreciation to you, distinguished Co-Chairs, the Bureau, and DOALOS for your dedication, hard work, and leadership throughout this session. Your efforts have been instrumental in advancing our discussions in a constructive and inclusive manner.

2.- We underscore the importance of equitable geographic representation in the institutional arrangements of the Agreement, including the importance of establishing the secretariat of the BBNJ Agreement in a developing country, while acknowledging that the Conference of the Parties (COP1), at its first meeting, shall adopt a decision on the functioning of the Secretariat, including on its seat. In this regard, we note with appreciation that two of the three proposals for hosting the Secretariat originate from our members, Chile and China-demonstrating our strong commitment and readiness to support the effective operationalization of the Agreement.

3.- We also stress that the rights of developing State Parties to fully participate in all processes, including serving as members of the Bureau, must be upheld irrespective of their financial standing.

4.- Financing remains a critical and central pillar for the effective implementation of this Agreement. We reiterate the urgent need to secure adequate, predictable, and accessible financial resources for developing countries to enable their full and effective participation, as well as the implementation of their obligations.

5.- The Group reaffirms the fundamental importance of multilingualism across all aspects of the Agreement, including the Conference of the Parties, the Clearing-House Mechanism, and all subsidiary bodies. Ensuring respect for multilingualism within the United Nations is essential for transparency, accessibility and equitable participation of our experts.

6.- Turning to the subsidiary bodies, the Group reiterates the importance of equitable geographical representation and the meaningful participation of developing countries, particularly small island developing States, least developed countries, and landlocked developing countries. We must ensure that the selection process remains transparent, inclusive, and practical.

7.- Regarding the Clearing-House Mechanism, the Group wishes to underscore its critical role in the implementation of the Agreement and the importance of its early and effective operationalization. The Mechanism must serve as a platform to facilitate international cooperation, including the matching of capacity development needs with available support and providers for the transfer of marine technology. This functionality is particularly important for developing countries, which will rely on the Mechanism to access information, technical resources, and capacity-building programs. In this regard, we consider it essential to ensure an approach that promotes equitable access. The Mechanism should be accessible, user-friendly, interactive, multilingual, and interoperable. We also highlight the critical role the Mechanism will play in the implementation of the Agreement, particularly all provisions related to marine genetic resources, digital sequence information, and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits.

8.- Looking ahead to the period between now and the first meeting of the Conference of the Parties (COP1), our focus must be firmly fixed on operational readiness. We must use the remaining intersessional period judiciously to ensure a seamless transition from the preparatory phase to the operational phase of the Agreement. In this regard, we would welcome clarity on whether any intersessional work is envisaged, and if so including whether you can provide us with information on the steps and timelines that will guide us to our next the first session of the COP.

9.- To conclude, we have made important progress in this session, but important work remains. Our Group stays fully committed to the successful early operationalization of the BBNJ Agreement. The history of the process of elaboration of the BBNJ Agreement attests to the crucial role of developing countries in the finalization and adoption of the Agreement. The fact that the Agreement, as well as relevant resolutions including resolution A/RES/78/272 establishing the present Commission, paid particular attention to the developing countries should continue to inspire and guide discussions in the COP.

10.- We look forward to continuing to work with all delegations in a spirit of multilateralism, cooperation and mutual respect to ensure that the institutions we are building are effective, inclusive, and fit for purpose.

I thank you.