Vienna Chapter
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In my capacity as Chairman of the Group of 77, it is with great
pleasure that I welcome you all to this Fortieth meeting of the
Chairmen/Coordinators of the Chapters of the Group of 77. For the first
time we hold this chapter's meeting at UNIDO Headquarters. I would like to
take this occasion to express my appreciation to the Chairmen/Coordinators
for their positive response to attend this meeting.
I wish to record my gratitude to the Chairman of the Vienna Chapter,
Ambassador Horacio Bazoberry, Permanent Representative of Bolivia to the
International Organizations in Vienna, to Dr. Kandeh Yumkella,
Director-General of UNIDO and Mr. Antonio Costa, Director-General of UNOV
for the excellent arrangements made in hosting this chapters' meeting. I
would like also to seize this opportunity to express my appreciation to
Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, Director General of IAEA. My appreciation also goes
to the Representatives of OPEC Fund, as well as to other Heads of
Organizations based in Vienna for their support and attendance.
This 40th meeting of the Chapters of the Group of 77 is taking place
at a critical time for developing countries particularly as it falls
immediately after the important action on the UN reform that took place
last month in the United Nations General Assembly. This is a new
opportunity for the Group of 77 to reaffirm its cohesion and unity in the
challenging international environment and to position itself as one of the
principal actors in the difficult multilateral stage. The prospects of
achieving the objectives of the Group are closely related to our capacity
to maintain and improve coordination of the activities that we undertake
in the different centers of the United Nations system.
Let me reiterate once again that the Group of 77 and China attaches
high priority to the reform of the United Nations with the objective to
strengthen the Organization so that it can efficiently respond to the
current and future challenges affecting the international community, in
particular those concerns and interests of developing countries, which
constitute the vast majority of its membership.
As stressed on many occasions, we support a meaningful reform that is
reflective of the views of the collective membership. We want to
strengthen the Organization and ensure that it is able to effectively and
efficiently implement all the mandates that we have bestowed upon it. A
stronger United Nations that responds more effectively to our collective
needs is in our common interest.
In the recent held Special Ministerial Meeting of the Group of 77 and
China in Putrajaya, Malaysia, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs reaffirmed
the Group's determination to further strengthen the role, the capacity
effectiveness and efficiency of the United Nations in the field of
development, with the objective to improve its performance, in order to
realize the full potential of the organization, in accordance with the
purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and to
respond more effectively to the needs of Member States and in particular
to the new global challenges facing the United Nations in the twenty-first
century.
Excellencies,
Distinguished Delegates,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
As a response to global challenges, South-South Cooperation has
expanded and created a stronger voice for the countries of the South on
the international arena. It has become an integral part of the mutual
relations between the developing countries ad an important means of
promoting the exchange of ideas, experience, knowledge, technical
advances, skills and expertise across a broad range of sectors. There is a
greater commitment from developing countries to support developments
efforts in order to reach a new level of economic independence.
Today the level of awareness concerning the potential of South-South
Cooperation at both the government and the international community level
is very significant. South-South cooperation has grown in importance for
the most vulnerable and disadvantaged countries, especially in Africa.
Despite this important evolution, much more can be achieved especially
through triangular cooperation. There is a need to further strengthening
South-South Cooperation including through enhancing the capacities of the
institutions and mechanisms that promote such cooperation.
I wish to welcome the initiative by UNIDO and the Vienna Chapter in
organizing a panel discussion to address trade capacity-building and
energy for development. Trade capacity or the ability for a country to
penetrate the international market through goods and services is the goal
pursued by all developing countries. In the context of trade agreement
South-South cooperation could enhance efficiency, decrease competition
among developing countries, and enable economies of scale to attract
foreign direct investment and consolidate infrastructures. Today there is
a need to focus on south-south technical assistance, market access,
transportation and communications.
I would like to take this opportunity to express our appreciation for
the support that OPEC Fund has provided over the years for developing
countries. Let me reiterate once again our desire to see the OPEC Fund
support on a regular basis our efforts to strengthen our institutional and
substantive capacity within the context of the Group of 77 research
program and to co-finance south-south projects within the framework of the
Perez Guerrero Trust Fund (PGTF). We believe that the time has come for
the establishment of a strategic partnership between OPEC Fund and the
Group of 77. In my capacity as Chairman of the Group of 77, I look forward
to discuss with OPEC Fund the operationalization of such strategic
partnership.
In conclusion, let me emphasize the need to continue strengthening
the unity and solidarity among the countries of the South, as an
indispensable element in the defense of our right to development and for
the creation of a more just and equitable international order and for
preserving and nurturing the policy space necessary for developing
countries to pursue their development objectives.
I would like also to stress the significance of coordination and
harmony in our work. It is important that we build together solidarity and
common perception of the issues that we are facing together as we struggle
in each of our chapters for the cause of development. I would like you to
maximize this opportunity to bring forth all your concerns so that
together we could discuss them in a single voice that represents all the
chapters of the Group of 77 as one entity.
Thank you.
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