Mr. President,
Dear friends,

Buenos noches.  [Good evening]

Estoy muy contento de estar en Bolivia.  [I am pleased to be in Bolivia]

I feel that I am in the centre of South America.  In fact, I am told that this city is at the geographic centre of the continent.

Bolivia is also at the centre of the United Nations.  This year your country holds the Presidency of the Group of 77 and China.

This important group is the collective voice of the global South.  And this year marks its fiftieth anniversary.

I am pleased to be here for the celebrations and Summit of the G77 and China.  The discussions this year have a special importance.

I commend the leadership and commitment of His Excellency President Evo Morales.

They come as United Nations Member States are focusing on three important objectives.

First, next year marks the deadline for the Millennium Development Goals. We have to accelerate our efforts to meet the targets of the MDGs.

Second, we have to have a global legal agreement on climate change.

Third, we need to have a post-2015 sustainable development agenda.

In all of these I need the strong leadership of President Evo Morales as chair of the G77 and China.

We need a strong partnership between the G77 and China and the rest of the UN Member States to achieve these ends.

By working together in one direction we can all know buen vivir.

Muchas gracias.