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Add to Preferred SourcesAcknowledging “a long road ahead” on the United Nations ambitious agenda, Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed “the historic leadership of the state of Palestine” as the new Chair of the Group of 77’s (G77).
“Palestine and its citizens have first-hand experience of some of the most challenging and dramatic global issues we face,” said Mr. Guterres in his remarks at the annual ceremony for handover of the rotating Chairmanship of the G77.
Egypt was the previous Chair of the bloc, a coalition of 134 developing countries, along with China.
The decision to elect Palestine as 2019 Chair of the G77 was taken in September 2018 by the foreign ministers of the Groups’ member States.
A month later, the UN General Assembly approved a resolution that enabled Palestine – a non-member Observer State at the world body – additional privileges and rights, such participating in international conferences held under its auspices, for the duration of its role as G77 Chair.
He credited the Group and the prior Egyptian presidency as having been “at the heart” of the progress made in challenges that ranged from climate change to rising inequality and fast changing and new technologies.
He singled out Egypt’s “highly effective” leadership and advocacy on finance for developing countries to meet their climate action commitments.
He called the group “instrumental” in achieving both: a comprehensive agreement that deals with migration in all its dimensions, the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration; and a Development System to eradicate poverty, implement programmes on a national level and to position development “at the centre of UN activities”.
“You help to keep the United Nations focused on the issues that count for the most vulnerable, and we owe you a debt of gratitude for your extremely constructive role”, the Secretary-General said.
For his part, President Mahmoud Abbas said Palestine would use its chairmanship to preserve the multilateral international order and strengthen ties with its UN partners.
“People are the real treasure for nations,” he said, “and real and sustainable development can only be achieved when opportunities are enhanced to ensure for all people, full and free participation in all relevant matters in life”.
He stated that under the guiding principle of “unity in diversity”, the G77 focus on the least developed countries, small island developing States, middle-income countries, and peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation, “so as to ensure no one is left behind.”
Original source: UN News
Published on 15 January 2019