Remarks by the President of the General Assembly
Mr. Philemon Yang.
Chairmanship Handover Ceremony of the Group of 77 and China
Monday, 13 January 2025, 3:00 pm, ECOSOC Chamber
[As Delivered]
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I thank the Republic of Uganda, outgoing Chair of the Group of 77 and China for the year 2024.
Uganda did a marvelous job. Congratulations!
I congratulate the Republic of Iraq as it assumes its role as Chair of this group for 2025. You are welcome.
I am honoured and grateful for the support of the Group of 77 and China, and I have enjoyed their support from the time I became the President of the 79th Session of the General Assembly.
Excellencies,
Our world is facing climate change, conflicts, extreme poverty, food insecurity, biodiversity loss, and the enduring effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Addressing these challenges requires international cooperation through multilateralism.
No nation can tackle these issues alone – a truth aptly captured by an African proverb. The proverb says: “one hand does not catch a buffalo.” It needs many hands.
As the largest bloc within the United Nations, the Group of 77 and China holds a unique responsibility to shape multilateral outcomes.
The Group has fulfilled this responsibility when given the opportunity to do so.
For example, the Pact for the Future, adopted at the outset of this General Assembly session, that is in September, owes its success in great measure to the Group’s invaluable support and strategic diplomacy.
Indeed, I am encouraged by the Group of 77 and China. They have been committed to the Pact for the Future. And I am convinced that it will be the same thing in the future.
During a recent meeting, I invited the Group of 77 to deliberate and share ideas on how its members might contribute to advancing the Pact’s objectives.
I take this opportunity to underscore that your leadership will play a key role in the success of the Pact for the Future.
Through this Pact, Member States have reaffirmed their commitment to revitalizing global action and addressing both today’s challenges and those of the future.
My team and I are dedicated to supporting Member States in the implementation of the Pact, ensuring that, as I work to fulfill my priorities, we make meaningful progress in advancing the objectives of the Pact for the Future.
I will elaborate on these priorities during tomorrow’s briefing.
Excellencies,
Ladies and gentlemen,
This year marks the 80th anniversary of the United Nations.
As we reflect on the UN’s many successes, we must also acknowledge that today’s challenges differ significantly from those of 1945.
The problems of 2025 demand solutions tailored to the geopolitical and socioeconomic realities of the present.
To address the socioeconomic realities of 2025, we must amplify the representation and the voice of developing countries in our multilateral institutions, including the United Nations.
Currently, the Group of 77 and China represents two-thirds of UN Member States, 80 percent of the global population, and over 40 percent of global Gross Domestic Product.
Yet, this remarkable representation has not translated into a proportionate level of influence in global decision-making.
This imbalance must be corrected to ensure an equitable share of global decision-making power.
Ongoing intergovernmental processes such as the reform of the Security Council, the revitalization of the General Assembly, and the ongoing discussions on the reform of the international financial architecture—present opportunities to shape a more just and inclusive global order.
I urge the Group to seize this moment to ensure that the needs and aspirations of the Global South are met.
This requires stronger advocacy to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development—an urgent task, as only less than 20 percent of the Sustainable Development Goals targets are on track, with just five years remaining until the 2030 deadline.
We must reverse these trends through bold action which necessarily means adequate resources.
At least $4 trillion in annual investment is needed to support developing countries, as well as between $500 billion and $1.3 trillion annually to combat climate change.
The Group of 77 and China will remain indispensable in mobilizing the international community to meet this challenge.
As President of the General Assembly, I will continue to support the Group in its efforts to fulfill these critical tasks.
For without these, our multilateral institutions, including the UN, will fail in their endeavour to leave no one behind.
Excellencies,
I conclude by extending my best wishes to the new Chair, the Republic of Iraq, as it assumes the leadership of the Group of 77 and China.
I am confident that Iraq will lead the Group with solidarity and determination, paving the way for a year of progress and prosperity.
Together, we must work tirelessly to build a future that fulfills the promise of the 2030 Agenda—for all people, everywhere.
I thank you.
Media Contacts
Sharon Birch, Spokesperson for the President of the General Assembly, Tel: + 212 963 0564, M: +1 646 342 5873, Email: birchs@un.org
Dr. Mariam Shaikh, Adviser/ Social and Digital Media/Media Relations M: +1 917 3614990, mariam.shaikh@un.org
