Remarks by the President of the 78th session of the General Assembly, 

Mr. Dennis Francis, 

at the Annual Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77 and China

[As Delivered] 

22 September 2023 

 

Your Excellency, Mr. Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez, President of the Republic of Cuba, Chair of the Group of 77 and China,

 

Your Excellency, Ms. Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations,

 

Excellencies,

Ladies and gentlemen,

 

It is an honor to join you at the Ministerial meeting of the Group of 77 and China.

 

And I say that both as President of the United Nations General Assembly and as citizen of a country that belongs to the Group.

 

I am astutely aware of the significance of the G77 and China – both in terms of what it represents, as well as what it helps to deliver.

 

In our increasingly multipolar world, the work of this Group consistently elevates the voice of the world’s developing nations.

 

For that I am grateful to each of you, as it would enable my Presidency to benefit from your perspectives.

 

At a time when multilateralism is being tested at every turn, the countries of the G77 and China continue to be resolute in their support of the multilateral system.

 

And we have seen evidence of that this week, with record engagement by Member States, particularly from this group, and the approval of four significant political declarations.

 

For that, allow me to express my profound gratitude for the true spirit of cooperation and flexibility shown by members of this Group, which enabled us to arrive at this result.

 

We need that sense of solidarity and unity now.

 

As I emphasized repeatedly this week in the General Assembly: the world faces immense challenges, yet maintains the capacity to act. What is in short supply is the will to act and the humility to listen and engage.

 

I sincerely hope that the Group will continue to be flagbearers for our multilateral system, particularly now in these challenging times.

 

Excellencies,

 

The voice of this Group is needed on the pressing implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and for the reform of international financial architecture.

 

First – as outlined during this week’s SDG Summit – we are off course on our commitments to achieve the SDGs.

 

This, without any doubt, affects developing countries more than any other group of nations. The members of this Group therefore have the most to lose, if we fail to achieve the SDGs.

 

Losing that battle to implement the SDGs would have immense socio-economic repercussions cutting across every sector from health and education, to ocean systems and rule of law.

 

 

The numbers speak for themselves. With current trends:

 

•             575 million people will still be living in extreme poverty in 2030, some 84 million children will be out of school,

•             it will take 140 years for women to be equally represented in leadership positions,

•             almost 50 years to achieve equal representation in national parliaments,

•             and it will take 286 years to close gender gaps in legal protection and remove discriminatory laws.

 

The G77 and China thus has a responsibility to keep the commitments and ambitions high on the implementation of the SDGs, as a means to address these issues.

 

I must commend the Group’s Chair – Cuba – on the success of the recent Summit of the G77 and China, which adopted the Havana Declaration.

 

We received this as a signal from the developing world, to increase both action and advocacy, for the Sustainable Development Goals, as well as to push for peace, prosperity, progress and sustainability for all.

 

And these are precisely the principles and priorities, and watchwords, that are guiding my Presidency throughout the 78th session.

 

Excellencies,

 

I do not need to remind this audience that all our talk on sustainable development is moot without the resources to back it up.

 

But the time has never been more opportune for us to push for reform of the international financial architecture.

 

We cannot lose this momentum. As a matter of principle, we can no longer tolerate the unjust financial systems that are impairing progress and keeping developing countries trapped in a vicious cycle of debt and deprivation.

 

The G77 and China has been instrumental in elevating the discussion around IFI reform to date, and has always been the leading voice on the need for the full implementation of the sustainable development agenda.

 

I ask that you continue to push – and push harder – to land this truly transformative change.

 

THIS is the single biggest thing that we can do to expedite progress on the SDGs.

 

THIS is what it will take to end poverty and hunger; to provide quality education; to create jobs; and to tackle climate change.

 

Let us make it happen, together.

 

I thank you again for the opportunity to join you and I wish you a successful meeting.