Vienna Chapter
Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Mr. Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of IAEA and our guest of
honour,
Ambassador Wolfgang Hofmann, Executive Secretary of CTBTO,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
It gives me a great pleasure to address you, as Chairperson of the
G-77 and China, on the occasion of the commemoration of the 40th
Anniversary of the establishment of the Group and hereby pay tribute to
the founding fathers.
The G-77 was established on 15th June 1964, when 77 developing
countries issued a Joint Declaration during the first United Nations
Conference on Trade and Development held in Geneva. The Joint Declaration
summarizes the raison d'être of the Group and sets out the members'
common objectives in the field of trade, economic and development. The
birth of the Group is one of the most significant political phenomenon of
mid 20th century. For the first time, the marginalized nations found a
common voice in defending their interests and promoting greater equity and
justice in international relations.
The G-77 adopted its Charter on the occasion of its first Ministerial
Meeting held in Algiers, Algeria on 25 October 1967, and subsequently
developed its institutional structure, which led to the creation of
Chapters of the Group in New York, Geneva, Nairobi, Paris, Rome, Vienna
and Washington DC. In Vienna, although the Group has been functioning
before, the Office of the Vienna Chapter kindly provided by Mr. Carlos
Magarinos, the Director General of UNIDO, was formally inaugurated on 19
May 1998. The Chapter covers all the VIC-based organizations, namely:
UNIDO, IAEA, UNOV, and the preparatory Commission for CTBT.
In each chapter, a Chairman who acts as its spokesperson coordinates
the work of the Group. The chairmanship rotates on a regional basis. The
Office of the Chairman provides support for the preparation of meetings
and serves as its institutional memory. The Group elaborates joint
declarations, action programs and agreements on specific topics and also
makes statements, sponsors and negotiates resolutions and decisions at
global conferences and other meetings held under the aegis of the UN.
Today, the membership of the Group has reached 132 countries, but the
original name has been maintained for its historic significance. Also, we
now have China associated with the Group. Why G-77 and China?
Although not a formal member of the G-77, China has been a supporter
of the Group's positions and has maintained close relations with the
Group. The association between the G-77 and China started in connection
with the preparations for the UN Conference on Environment and Development
held in Rio in June 1992. For the first time, the two sides jointly put
forward a position paper in the name of G-77 and China. From then on, the
form of cooperation and the working relationship between the G-77 and
China has grown from strength to strength.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Our untiring efforts notwithstanding, it is evident today that we are
yet to fully realize the agenda of our founding fathers. Redressing
imbalances, eliminating poverty and assuring peace and stability are
outstanding challenges which are common and shared responsibility. The
G-77 and China remains committed to strengthening and revitalizing the
multilateral system, particularly international cooperation, as a better
mechanism for an equitable decision making process, in order to achieve
socio-economic development of the developing world.
To this end, members of the Group are making their utmost efforts
towards the realization of the Millennium Development Goals, which are
those of the international community. This shared responsibility requires
innovative approaches and political impetus to make international
cooperation as a "decisive instrument for ending the division of the
world into areas of affluence and intolerable poverty". The Group,
therefore, urges the implementation of the commitments made at Monterrey,
Mexico, the industrialization of developing countries, the prevention and
fighting of terrorism, transnational organized crime, drug trafficking and
money laundering, peaceful use of outer space, as well as transfer of
technology in the field of nuclear energy for peaceful uses.
In commemorating its fortieth anniversary, the Group attests to its
vitality and the cohesion of its members. We rest on the clarity of our
vision and unity in the implementation of the Action Plan adopted at the
first South-South Summit in Havana, Cuba in 2000, and the High-Level
Conference on South-South Cooperation held in Marrakech, Morocco in 2003.
Forty years after the establishment of the Group, we the members of
the Vienna Chapter, inspired by the spirit of Vienna, pledge to maintain
and further strengthen our unity as well as our cooperation with our
development partners.
I thank you for celebrating with us the anniversary of our Group and
invite you later in this programme to share the cultural displays as well
as the culinary specialties and varieties of our respective countries.
Health, prosperity and success for the G-77 and China!!!!
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