DETAILED REPORT OF ACTIVITIES OF THE G-77 VIENNA CHAPTER DURING
2011 CHAIRMANSHIP OF H.E. MR. ARMIN ANDEREYA, AMBASSADOR EXTRAORDINARY
AND PLENIPOTENTIARY PERMAMENT REPRSENTATIVE OF CHILE
2015 Activities of the G-77 Vienna Chapter total number of meetings - 107
G-77 Task Force UNIDO: Coordinator: Dr. Suhel Ajaz KHAN, PM of India (21 meetings)
G-77-TF organized more than 20 meetings in 2015 in preparation of the 31st Programme and Budget Committee Meeting, 43rd Session of the Industrial Development Board and the 16th session of the General Conference. The Task Force also deliberated upon other important events i.e. International Conference on Financing for Development, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and the LDC Ministerial Conference in Vienna.
The year was a landmark year for UNIDO. Adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals by the UN has put added responsibilities on UNIDO to align its activities with the Sustainable Development Agenda. One of the goals specifically pertains to the functioning UNIDO and there are many goals where UNIDO can contribute substantially. G-77 gave full support to UNIDO in presenting its case before the UN before the SDG were adopted. After the SDG were adopted, G-77 piloted an important resolution to give direction and mandate to UNIDO for working towards realization of the SDG. The G-77 was also able to co-opt other major groups in this process and in the end the resolution was co-sponsored by EU and a number of other countries and the resolution was adopted by consensus during the 16th session of the General Conference. This resolution piloted by G-77 will continue to guide the activities of the Agency for a long time to come.
The G-77 also contributed meaningfully in the budget discussions and forcefully upheld the interests of the developing countries. The Group also gave crucial inputs on the UNIDO’s field re-structuring exercise and UNIDO’s new County Partnership Approach.
G-77 Task Force UNODC: Coordinator: Mr. Andrés LAMOLIATTE, PM of Chile (16 meetings)
With regard to UNODC matters, there are many issues that are important for the G-77. First, the Group prepared a statement for the 58th session of the Commission on Narcotic Drugs. The world drug problem remains a matter of great concern that must be addressed under the principle of common and shared responsibility from a comprehensive and balanced approach within the three conventions.
Regarding the 13th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice, Doha, Qatar 12-19 April 2015 - the opportunity served to Group to make an intervention which encompassed all issues that falls under the scope of the UNODC. The Group actively participated in the CCPCJ, and in the negotiations aimed to have a possible review mechanism in UNTOC. Furthermore, the Group was active in the process of negotiating adopting the resolutions at UNCAC Conference of St. Petersburg, in particular the one on prevention, which was co-sponsored by the G-77 and China, and the one on Facilitating international cooperation in asset recovery and the return of proceeds of crime, which was co-sponsored by a large number of G-77 countries, including the African Group.
The Group continues to support the work of the Informal Group on financial issues of the UNODC, Fingov, which serves as a platform to discuss the way that resources are spent. The G-77 gives special attention to the efficient spending of resources and of the geographical distribution and gender balance in the assignment of the posts.
G-77 Task Force IAEA: Coordinator: Ms. Ingrid KIRSTEN, PM of South Africa (first half) – Mr. Hellmut LAGOS, PM of Chile (second half) (50 meetings)
The G-77 Task Force organized 50 Group meetings and a number of briefing sessions with the IAEA Secretariat.
The Group welcomes the Agency’s continuing efforts to promote nuclear safety worldwide and upholds the principle that improved nuclear safety measures should be used to enhance the development and utilization of nuclear technology for peaceful uses. Furthermore, it is of utmost importance for the Group, to ensure the necessary balance between promotional and other statutory activities. As a result of 2015, a total of 8 IAEA related statements were delivered on behalf of the Group, 4 during the Board of Governors, 1 at the TACC and 2 during the PBC. Furthermore, the Group actively and effectively expressed its positions in the Working Groups on the Regular Budget and TCF Targets for 2016-2017, delivering a total of 7 statements.
The 59th session of the IAEA General Conference adopted seven resolutions which were presented by the Group, namely: Strengthening of the Agency’s technical cooperation activities, Support to the African Union’s Pan Tsetse and Trypanosomosis Eradication Campaign (AU-PATTEC) General part non-power nuclear applications, Programme of Action for Cancer Therapy (PACT), Strengthening the Agency’s activities related to nuclear science, technology and applications Renovation of the Agency’s NA Laboratories Seibersdorf, Use of isotope hydrology for water resources management, on Personnel Matters: Staffing of the Agency’s Secretariat and Women in the Secretariat.
G-77 Task Force COPUOS: Coordinator: Ms. Teresita ALVAREZ, PM of Chile (4 meetings)
During Chile’s Chairmanship in 2015, we reinstalled the task force on COPUOS Matters, with the aim of making our Group present and active in the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS), based on the need for our countries to have more access to opportunities for international cooperation in the peaceful exploration and uses of outer space, as well as on the fundamental need to ensure equal access to outer space, especially for developing countries.
In this context, we held task force meetings in preparation of the Fifty-fourth session of the Legal Subcommittee of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, coming out with a G-77 and China statement for that occasion. We had a general statement under the agenda item 3 “General Exchange of views”, as well as specific statements on agenda items: 6a) The Definition and Delimitation of Outer Space; 6b) Geostationary Orbit; 8) Capacity-building in space law; 9) Review and possible revision of the principles relevant to the use of nuclear power sources in outer space; 10) General exchange of information on national mechanism relating to space debris mitigation measures.
We also held several meetings in preparation of the Fifty-eight session of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). During that session, we delivered a general statement on agenda items 4) general exchange of views; 6) report of the scientific and technical subcommittee on its fifty second session; and 7) report of the legal subcommittee on its fifty – fourth session.
Chile is of the view that this Task Force should continue working with the purpose of promoting international cooperation on the peaceful uses of outer space as well as addressing matters related to space affairs that have great impact on the development of nations. We firmly believe that international cooperation on space activities should be enhanced and expanded in order to promote all aspects of the peaceful utilization of outer space and to improve the on-going and future activities in this area with the a view to contributing to both the global social and economic prosperity and sustainable development, particularly for developing countries, and this is an area where the work of the G-77 and China is pivotal.
G-77 Task Force CTBTO: Coordinator: Ms. Maryem HADDAOUI, Counsellor, PM of Morocco (16 meetings)
During 2015, the G-77 task force for CTBTO matters continued to promote the interests of the Group during formal and informal meetings of the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), as well as supporting all efforts to promote the universalization and entry into force of the Treaty at the earliest possible date.
In this regard, the Group held meetings in preparation for the 44th and 45th sessions of the Preparatory commission, as well as its subsidiary bodies (Working Group A and B). The Group reiterated its positions regarding issues raised by the decision making organs, including the importance it attaches to capacity- building and training as a means of improving the ability of States Signatories, especially developing countries, to fully participate in the Treaty’s verification regime.
The Group also actively participated in the informal consultations on establishing rules of procedures to appoint chairs and vice-chairs of the subsidiary bodies of the Preparatory commission. The Group reiterated the key significance of having vice-chairs in the subsidiary bodies of the Preparatory Commission, in order to ensure that the work of these bodies is transparent, smooth and effective. The group successfully negotiated the inclusion of the principle of equitable geographic representation.
