Secretary-General, at Ceremony to Hand Over Group of 77 Chair, Stresses Essential

Need to Reform, Strengthen Global Economic Governance

Following are UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s remarks at the ceremony marking the handover of the chairmanship of the Group of 77 in New York today, 12 January:

I am pleased to join you for today’s ceremony marking the handover of the chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China.  I commend the Republic of Yemen, and especially you, Ambassador [Abdullah] Alsaidi, for your successful leadership of the Group this past year.

The year saw continuing economic, social and environmental problems, among other challenges.  But the Group of 77 stood with the United Nations in tackling them.  I appreciate your support.

Today, Argentina assumes leadership of the Group, with a special burden falling on Ambassador [Jorge] Argüello in articulating the Group of 77’s voice, views and interests.  I congratulate Argentina for taking on this responsibility, and offer my best wishes and support in the year ahead.

I am confident that the transfer of chairmanship between Yemen and Argentina will be like an expert baton pass between runners in a relay race, with good communication and a sense of common purpose.  Such cooperation is vital as we take stock of 2010 and brace ourselves for the challenges that lie ahead — those we know are coming, and those that will no doubt surprise us.

Important trends continue to shape our shared efforts to combat poverty and ensure prosperity for all.  We have seen a gradual shift in economic power from mature to emerging economies.  From Sao Paulo to Shanghai, many developing countries are becoming engines of global growth.  In contrast, recovery from the financial crisis in some developed countries is proving to be slower and more problematic than anticipated.

Changing times require changing institutions.  Gone are the days when a few could claim to speak for the many.  Reforming and strengthening international economic and financial governance will continue to be difficult.  But it is essential.  The United Nations has a central role to play in seeing that it is done — and that it leads the way to prosperity and social justice for all.  The voice of the Group of 77 and China must also be heard as we advance this agenda.

Efforts to combat climate change must also continue as a top priority for 2011.  We all know that climate change affects everything, from the health of the world economy to the health of our citizens.  It also has a disproportionate impact on the citizens of Group of 77 nations.

Last month’s United Nations Climate Conference in Cancun, Mexico, breathed new life into climate negotiations.  Governments agreed on a plan for a new green climate fund.  Developed countries committed to $100 billion a year in mitigation assistance for developing countries.  They also reached important agreements on preventing deforestation, on an adaptation framework and on technology cooperation.  There was also progress on formalizing mitigation pledges and ensuring greater accountability for them.

I look to the Group of 77 and China to help build on this foundation as we look to the Seventeenth Conference of States Parties in South Africa, and as we prepare for the 2012 “Rio+20” Summit Conference on Sustainable Development.  At the same time, we must strengthen national efforts.  I urge countries to step up what they are doing on the ground to reduce emissions and strengthen climate resilience.  Such action need not wait for the negotiations to advance.  In fact, the more you do on the ground, the more you will help your negotiators produce the agreements and progress we need.

I will also look to you to sustain our momentum on the Millennium Development Goals.  The MDG Action Agenda gives us a road map.  We must implement this agenda and be accountable for all the promises that have been made, including on official development assistance.  In particular, I count on the Group of 77 to strongly support the Fourth Conference on Least Developed Countries, to be held in May in Istanbul.

Indeed, the most vulnerable have a special claim on our attention.  Not just because they face the greatest need, but because by investing in them — by ensuring jobs and food security and opportunity — we can make the greatest inroads against extreme poverty.

Women’s empowerment must be at the core of such an approach.  Here, too, the past year saw political milestones.  Brazil elected its first female President.  Australia and Trinidad and Tobago elected their first female Prime Ministers.  The creation of UN Women was another notable step for gender equality, and will strengthen our efforts to advance the status and rights of women across the world.  We must also do even more in our efforts against the discrimination and violence that deny women their fundamental human rights.

Lastly, ladies and gentlemen, as we look to the year ahead, I want to emphasize the need for strengthened multilateralism.  Multilateral cooperation is the linchpin to meeting the challenges of our era — especially as resources become tighter and demands on the United Nations grow.

We must forge broader alliances and pioneer new forms of cooperation if we are to conquer poverty, disease, and climate change.  We must connect the dots among issues and partners.  We must invest wisely, not just to save money but to save lives.

I look forward to working with the Group of 77 in our collective race to tackle these problems.  In 2011, let us strengthen the United Nations presence on the world stage and, most of all, deliver results for the world’s people.

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