Handover Ceremony of the Chairmanship of the Group of 77

Let me now give the statement on behalf of the chair country of the Group of 77 for the year 2025. Your Excellency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, Your Excellency, Ms. Annina Baerbock, President of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, Your Excellency, Mr. Antonio Guterres, General Secretary of the United Nations, Excellencies, distinguished delegates and guests. It's a distinct honor for me to welcome you on the handover ceremony, marking the conclusion of Iraq's chairmanships of the Group of 77 and China for the year 2025. And the transition of this important responsibility to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, who assumes the chairmanship of the group for 2026 and under the leadership of His Excellency, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uruguay. For Iraq, it has been both a privilege and a historic responsibility to chair the Group of 77 and China for the first time since the establishment of our group 60 years ago. On this occasion, I wish to express my deep appreciation to all members of the Group for the trust placed in Iraq and for the spirit of unity, cooperation and solidarity that has characterized our collective work throughout last year. I also wish to extend my sincere gratitude to the President of the General Assembly, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, the Deputy Secretary-General, the various entities of the United Nations Development System and departments, and the G77 Secretariat, for their continued effort, support, and constructive engagement with the groups during Iraq's tenure. We particularly appreciate the effort of the Secretary General over the past year to advance proposals aimed at strengthening multilateralism and for responding more effectively to the development priorities and needs of developing countries. Excellencies, throughout 2025, under Iraq's chairmanship, the Group of 77 and China played an active and critical role in shaping intergovernmental processes and outcomes across the United Nations systems. Our collective effort was guided by shared determination to advance a more just, inclusive, and equitable international economical order, one that enables sustainable growth, poverty eradication, and improved standards of living for our own people. The group engaged substantively in key global processes, including preparation for the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, the World Summit for Social Development, the reform of the international financial architecture, and discussions on digital cooperation and artificial intelligence, to name a few. Across these processes, The group consistently emphasized centrality of development, the principle of equity and common but differentiated responsibility, and the need for predictable and adequate means of implementation for developing countries. At the onset of Iraq's chairmanship, we committed to priorities among the acceleration of implementation of 20th 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, enhanced actions on climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental degradation in accordance with multilateral agreements, the mobilization of financing for development, the fight against illicit financial flows, and the promotion of inclusive digital transformation. Over the course of the year, The group worked collectively to translate these priorities into concrete negotiating positions and outcomes, while safeguarding national circumstances and development pathways. Excellencies, the year of 2025 has also underscored the importance of the United Nations development system that is responsive, coherent, adequately resourced, While we recognize the value important work carried out by the United Nations and its entities, the evolving global landscapes call for continued reform to ensure that the system is better equipped to address intersecting crises, increasing debt vulnerabilities, climate impacts, widening inequality, and technological disruptions. In this context, The Group of 77 and China has consistently advocated for reform that strengthen development effectiveness, enhance countries' ownership, and ensure that no country is left behind. I am pleased to note that throughout these demanding processes and a very intense geopolitical landscape, the Group of 77 and China has remained united, principled, and forward-looking. This unity remains our greatest strength, and it will be essential as we continue to defend and advance the collective interests of developing countries within the United Nations. Excellencies, As Iraq handover chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay, we do so with full confidence in Uruguay's leadership and commitment to multilateralism. We are confident that you and your distinguished delegation will guide the group with wisdom, inclusiveness, and the strong spirit of consensus building. in pursuit of our shared goals and objectives. Iraq stands ready to extend its full cooperation and support to the incoming Chair, and will continue to play an active and constructive role as a committed member of the Group of 77 and China. I wish Uruguay every success in leading our group toward realization of our common aspiration for a fair, balanced, and equitable international economic, social, and environmental order. I thank you. Excellencies, distinguished guests, and delegates, and members, with these remarks, the Republic of Iraq formally concludes its tenure as chair of the Group of 77 for the year 2025. Now, I have the great honor and privilege to formally hand over the chairmanship of the Group of 77 to the Oriental Republic of Uruguay. May I invite the protocol to escort his honorable minister, accompanied by his delegation, to the podium to formally assume the chairmanship of the Group of 77 for the year 2026 and preside over the remaining meeting. Yeah, with the handle.

Mr. President of the General Assembly, Mr. Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ms. Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, distinguished delegates, colleagues, friends, if you allow me, I will speak in my language, Spanish.

Therefore, for me, it is truly a pleasure to open the second segment of this ceremonial meeting. First of all, I wish to extend to each and every one of you a warm welcome and express my most profound and best wishes for the very best 2026 possible for all of us, as well as our loved ones and our countries. And thus, as we've set out in our agenda, I have the honor of reading out an opening statement on behalf of my country, Uruguay, as president of the Group of 77 for the year 2026 that is beginning today. And before anything else, I would like to formally welcome Madam Annalena Baerbock, president of the General Assembly, as well as Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, as well as the Vice Secretary-General, Madam Amina Mohammed. And I would like to express, first and foremost, my most sincere gratitude to the Republic of Iraq for the work carried out in order to represent the interests of our 134 Member States. And we are fully aware of the very high standard that has been set, and we recognize the contributions of all Member States of the G77 and China. as well as of the former presidencies for their role in the promotion of solidarity and cooperation among states and in terms of the group's projection as well as the consolidation of our fundamental principles. I would like to take advantage of this opportunity to pay homage to the work of the Executive Secretariat of the Group of 77 for their commitment and dedication We know that we can count on that valuable support throughout our presidency this year. And it is a privilege to address you today by assuming the chairmanship of the Group of 77 for the first time since it was created 62 years ago. And we take on this responsibility with pride and humility. at a moment which is critical for the United Nations and for the rules-based international order, a moment that is characterized by growing international challenges that require ever more collective cooperation to reach our common goals in the context of an international law that is ever more affected. And we will carry out these functions with dedication and with seriousness, determined to defend the objectives and principles of the United Nations Charter. And in this framework, we will defend the interests of our group and we will strengthen its position within the UN system. We would like to thank all member states for the trust they have placed on Uruguay in order to assume this important mission. And in the context of growing international conflicts, where the prohibition of the threat or use of force is eroded in a very quick fashion, Uruguay is a promoter of peace and an honest broker among nations. It is what we strive to do in our own region through the presidency of the Brasilia Consensus, which brings together different countries in South America, which we currently hold in on our upcoming. Eclectic presidency, which we will take over in March and which brings together the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean. And with that spirit, we assume the task of coordinating and facilitating common positions within a group that shares multiple realities, but that also reflects the wide array of our diversity as humanity. Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen. Throughout the decades, The G77 in China has carried out an important responsibility in terms of the social and economic aspirations of developing countries. Our group has been a key actor to push forward initiatives to strengthen international cooperation and to build a global economic system that is fair and more inclusive. We fully recognize the importance of this historic legacy and the responsibility that it carries within it. During our presidency, Uruguay will coordinate hand in glove with you. We'll coordinate in a transparent and constant fashion with all member states in order to move forward our common priorities and goals. And we count on your support and cooperation in this endeavor. The Uruguayan Presidency will be guided by the priorities established by the Group for 2026, and we will be geared towards continuity, coherence and effective follow-up in terms of the broad agenda of the G77. Our focus will be on a chairmanship that facilitates, that is committed to strengthening the internal coherence of the group and with ensuring that the voices of the global South continue to speak in a coordinated, constructive and relevant fashion in the multilateral system. And it is in this framework that we will prioritize, among other things, some important following areas. Number one, despite the important global economic development that has been registered since our group was created, the gap among developed and developing countries persist and they are widening. In this context, we will push forward efforts to promote global economic stability, which is sustainable. We will strengthen solidarity and cooperation, and we will ensure a more equitable distribution of resources. We will advocate policies that provide debt relief. that broaden financing for development and strengthen food security. And we will fight against poverty. All of this coming from a region that is considered as the most unequal one in the planet. And we know that measuring development based solely on GDP is just not enough in order to reflect realities that are vastly more complex. This is why we will continue fostering to incorporate indicators that go beyond GDP and reflect the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. And this includes concrete advances that we have already made, as well as other development concepts. We will also underline the urgent need to strengthen the governance of our international financial institutions and multilateral banks for development. ensuring a broader representation of developing countries. We reaffirm our commitment to promoting a multilateral commercial system that is fair, with a differentiated and special treatment for developing countries. Strengthening triangular and South-South cooperation is absolutely essential to reach the SDGs. in complement to traditional North-South cooperation and in keeping with the civil commitments adopted in the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development, Uruguay, will promote initiatives geared towards strengthening cooperation mechanisms and to debate the reforms of the international financial architecture from a more inclusive perspective. Throughout our presidency of the G77 in China, Uruguay will push forward a sustainable development agenda that is focused on effectively implementing in an integrated and balanced fashion Agenda 2030, recognizing the independent character of its economic, social and environmental dimensions. And in that context, we will promote the group's unity around common priorities that allows to translate commitments into public policy that is concrete, measurable and geared toward results, paying special attention to the eradication of poverty, the reduction of inequalities and strengthening our health care, education and social protection systems. In this sense, we will pay special attention to the negotiations on the political declaration of the HPLF, as well as deliberations on our development agenda after 2030, in order to avoid that its goals and targets are diluted. in the current political scenario, which is changing very rapidly. We will pay attention to reform processes within the United Nations system, and specifically UN80, taking into account its impact on the work, efficacy and credibility of the Organization. In this framework, Uruguay will promote an active and coordinated participation on behalf of the G77 on those issues where the group strives to seek common positions with the goal of ensuring that we can defend our development pillar, promoting a balance between the three pillars of the United Nations, development, peace and security, and human rights. And in a broad way, so that we don't affect the priorities and needs of developing countries. The focus of our presidency will seek to contribute to a balanced reform that strengthens the operational capacities of the UN system, safeguards its intergovernmental character, and makes sure that sustainable development is a central axis of whatever the UN does. Climate change and environmental challenges are one of our central priorities because the adverse effects of climate change affect in a disproportionate manner developing countries. Our presidency will promote collective actions in order to strengthen adaptation and mobilize climate financing. We will foster clean and renewable energies and we will also encourage technology transfers. We will fight against desertification and we will protect biodiversity in keeping with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. We underline the urgent need to revitalize the United Nations as the central forum to address global challenges. The inability of the global system to effectively address transnational threats has produced a fragmented approach where the most vulnerable countries have had to pay the highest burden. In this context, The Group of 77 and China should carry out a constructive role in order to strengthen multilateral cooperation. In a context where the world is experiencing the highest levels of conflicts among states since World War II, along with a rise in global military expenditure and a reduction in investments in peace and humanitarian assistance, the role of the United Nations is more crucial than ever. Taking into account all of this, the role of the SG is essential. In this key year, we will build and we will contribute to a transparent and inclusive process that allows to choose a candidate, perhaps a woman, we hope, or any candidate with the highest degree of efficiency, competency, integrity, and support that shows a staunch support to the purposes and principles of the Charter, respecting parity as well as gender parity, as well as geographic balance. such as we do in our region, Uruguay will promote a global governance that is responsible when it comes to technology, making sure that AI, digitalization, and cybersecurity have a central place in our multilateral discussions. The goal is to close the digital gap and to ensure that developing countries can fully benefit from progress in order to take their development forward. Finally, Under the coordination of Uruguay, we will strive to identify those areas where it is possible to forge common positions, respecting, of course, the diversity of national approaches. Uruguay will act as a chair in keeping with the procedural rules established by the group, especially through consensus amongst its members in order to take decisions. Uruguay is a leader in the UN because of our contributions to peace. And given our vast experiences, we have come to learn that there is no development without peace, but there is no peace without development. Uruguay assumes the presidency of the G77 with a firm commitment to promote cooperation, solidarity, and development through a leadership that is transparent, open, and inclusive. Our agenda will reflect the priorities of all member states. And it will seek to strengthen the voice of developing countries on the international scene, moving toward a future that is more equitable, more sustainable, more peaceful, which is what we need today more than ever before. Thank you very much. And in order To continue with our agenda, on behalf of the presidency and all of you, I would like to warmly welcome Her Excellency, Ms. Annalena Baerbock, President of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. I now wish to invite her to address the Group of 77. Excellency, you have the floor.

Thank you very much. Mr. Secretary General, Madam Deputy Secretary General, Your Excellency Lubertkin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ogri, Your Excellency Lukman Al-Fali, Permanent Representative of Iraq, ladies and gentlemen. As I stated this morning, this is no ordinary session. There is unprecedented strain on the multilateral system and our United Nations. Increasing political polarization and financial pressure impact not only our discussions here in New York, but also on the ground operations across the globe, and therefore addressing directly people, the people we are supposed to serve. Now more than ever, we must summon the courage to defend our Charter and to stand up for our convictions, even when it is inconvenient. The Group of 77 and China plays a crucial role in this regard. Today, your group comprises 134 countries from across Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean, representing over 80 percent of the world's population, including many least developed countries, small island states, small island developing states, and emerging economic powerhouses. This unique diversity is both a testament to the wide range of perspectives within the Group and to the crucial role you rightly play in fostering a spirit of inclusive dialogue and cross-regional cooperation at the UN. And this is precisely the spirit we need at a time when our core values and principles are under pressure as never before. It is a spirit that unites the vast majority of countries, not around the power blocks of the past, but around the shared conviction that cooperation, the UN Charter, and the three pillars of our organization, peace and security, human rights, and development, are the life insurance for almost all countries around the world. The support of your group during this 80th session so far has been invaluable. particularly as consensus has become more difficult to achieve on issues ranging from healthcare to climate to migration. And also in always underlining, and I would like to thank especially also for the intervention of your group and the individual member states during the priority session this morning, on underlining how important it is that we all deliver on the SDGs. And if you allow me, I would share my wish that you, as one of the strongest cross-regional groups, continue to use exactly this spirit to engage constructively and build consensus among yourselves. And at the same time, I encourage you to continue to reach out beyond your group, to engage with other forces and join forces. Because, as I mentioned in my priority speech this morning, We now need a strong cross-regional alliance to defend the principles of our global order founded in international law. In this regard, I encourage you also as individual member states to speak up in defense of our institution and all its three pillars whenever they are under pressure. And maybe, if I may, even within your group when you cannot find an immediate consensus, Because the UN, we need all of you, the 134 so diverse member states. And I've seen firsthand the spirit displayed by many of you and the role that the G77 has played in this regard, from the Pact of the Future to the NCDs resolution and to the most recent budget outcome. And it has been your group again this morning underlining again that the climate crisis is one of the biggest security threats for all of us. In this regard, I would like to express my sincere appreciation in the General Assembly. I know where everybody's sitting. Where's Iraq? Left, right. on the right, yeah. So I would like to look at you because we have had intensive debates together. So my sincere appreciation to Ambassador Lukman, a family permanent representative of RIAC for your steadfast leadership of the group over the past year and especially over the past months, we have worked together on difficult issues, especially on the NCDs. I would also like to commend the Government of Iraq for the recent closure of UNAMI and your unwavering commitment to peace, justice and democracy. In these challenging times, UNAMI stands as a clear success story, and we have to celebrate our success stories. highlighting the indispensable role the United Nations can play when it works in partnership with a Member State in support of inclusive dialogue, strong institutions and human rights. And it's now with great pleasure that I warmly congratulate Uruguay, your government, as it assumes the chairmanship of the Group. I extend my congratulations to Your Excellency, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Uruguay, Mr. Lubetkin, and I look forward to work together with you and also your Ambassador, Laura Dupuy Lacerri, Permanent Representative of Uruguay, throughout the rest of this session. This responsibility comes at a particular consequential time for our organization, as the major processes are already underway that will shape the future of the development and financing agenda, including the UNAD reforms. Under your wise leadership, the group of 77 and China has a critical role to play in ensuring that reform and efficiency efforts strengthen rather than dilute development outcomes. And I'm delighted to hear that Uruguay's priorities are so much in line with the priorities I mentioned also this morning with regard to the interconnectivity between the three pillars, also with regard to the selection process of the new Secretary General, the strong call for women, but also underlining again that engagement is crucial in these times. In this regard, Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen, I trust that in these shaky times we will all stand together, being better together as we started at this session, and that we are ready to take an extra mile, guided by the courage of conviction to fulfill the most noble responsibility entrusted to us, to serve the people we represent and to uphold the principles of the UN Charter. I thank you.

I thank on your behalf the President of the General Assembly. I thank her for her important statement and for her support for the goals and ideals of the Group of 77. As you quite rightly said, we do hope to continue to deepen our cooperation between you and our group under your leadership. Thank you. On behalf of the Chair and on behalf of all of us here present, I wish to warmly welcome His Excellency Mr. Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations. I now have the pleasure to invite him to address the Group of 77. Secretary-General, you have the floor.

Members of the Group of 77 and China, Madam President of the General Assembly, Excellencies, Distinguished Representatives. It's an honor to be with you today. I commend Iraq for its stewardship of the Group of 77 and China over the past year. And I wish also to thank Iraq for the warm welcome during my visit last month, and for the very successful end of UNAMI, thanks to the commitment of the government and the people of Iraq. And I congratulate Uruguay for assuming the chairmanship for 2026. I am a great admirer of Uruguay. Uruguay is the first welfare state in the world. Social justice was in the DNA of Uruguay since its very beginning. And Uruguay has been a symbol of peace and a symbol of justice. And so, I would say, in excellent conditions to preside the Group of 77 in our struggle for peace, sustainable development, and human rights, in relation to all of which Uruguay has been a very positive symbol for us all. Excellencies, this group was born out of a profound demand that still echoes today, development with dignity, a fair share of opportunity, and sits at the table where decisions are made. More than six decades on, this group is a strong pillar of multilateralism. And its mission is as urgent as ever. We begin this year amid raging conflicts, widening inequalities, mounting debt burdens, and an erosion of trust. We see climate chaos, record temperatures, devastating floods and droughts, bettering lives and livelihoods, and reversing hard-won development gains. We see technologies racing ahead of our ability to ensure they serve all people and all countries, rather than just a privileged few. And we see international cooperation in the strain, even as global challenges keep growing, when truth, no country can solve them alone. That is why multilateralism matters. And that is why we need the renewed commitment to cooperation in a truly interconnected, multipolar world. And that is why the Group of 77 and China remains indispensable. At the moment when some question the value of cooperation, you have kept showing what cooperation can achieve. Time and again, you have shown unity and strength. From the Ocean Conference in Nice to the Financing for Development Conference in Seville, from the OAS Conference on Landlocked Developing Countries to the Doha Social Summit, you helped rally the world around the promise of the 2030 Agenda. Your unity is a force for fairness, a force for action, and a force for justice to reshape a system that too often still delivers developing countries a raw deal on finance, on climate, on technology, and on representation. Excellencies, first, we must commit to the Sustainable Development Goals. We are just four years from 2030, and the financing gap remains vast, while debt servicing suffocates investments in health, education, jobs, energy, and resilience. We need a global financial system that reflects today's realities, not the world of 1945, before many of you gained independence from colonial rule. This is the purpose of the Seville Commitment to transform the international financial architecture, tripling the lending power of multilateral development banks, leveraging far more private capital, and scaling affordable long-term finance where it is needed most. We need earlier, smarter action on debt distress, with new instruments that ease debt burdens and speed support before crises deepen. We need reforms to give developing countries greater participation and influence in international financial institutions, and to address credit ratings that are often arbitrary and outdated, and can cost countries billions through higher borrowing costs. Second, We must meet the climate emergency with the speed and scale it demands, and with climate justice at its center. The world is headed towards a temporary overshoot above 1.5 degrees Celsius. Our task is to make that overshoot as small, as short, and as safe as possible. And that requires deep, immediate emission cuts this decade. New national climate plans must be the floor for ambition, not the ceiling. backed by the means to exceed those commitments. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities must apply, but every country must do more. We must accelerate a just, orderly and equitable transition away from fossil fuels and build a clean energy future faster. We must tackle methane, one of the fastest, cheapest ways to cut near-term warming. And we must stress an adaptation and resilience because the impacts are already locked in and because fairness demands it. Early warning systems and resilient infrastructure save lives and pay for themselves as many times over. Climate justice demands protecting those who did the least to cause this crisis and to face the gravest consequences. It demands finance at scale. Developed countries must lead delivering COP30's call to triple adaptation finance by 2035 as a first step towards closing the adaptation gap. And we also need a surge of contributions to the loss and damage fund. And we must chart a credible path to mobilizing $1.3 trillion a year by 2035 for developing countries with finance that is accessible, affordable, predictable, and at scale. Third, we must ensure that digital age becomes an engine of inclusion, not an accelerator of inequality. The Global Digital Compact created the first universal framework for cooperation on digital technologies, including artificial intelligence. Now we must move from agreements to action. That is why we are swiftly operationalizing the Independent Scientific Panel on AI so science can guide policy and facts cannot base fear. And why we are convening the Global Dialogue on AI Governance, bringing all countries and stakeholders into the conversation within the United Nations. The selection of panel members is nearing completion. It will be representative of all regions of the world with expertise across disciplines. The panel will begin its work soon and issue its first report AI at the Global Dialogue in July. We must also narrow the divide in computing power, data, research, skills, and safety standards. Over 80 countries lack basic capacity to design, build, and deploy AI systems. That is why I have called for the establishment of a global fund for AI capacity development to ensure every country can benefit from AI and help shape its guardrails. and invest in digital public infrastructure, building a more equitable digital economy for all. I welcome the leadership shown by several G77 members in bringing their research centers into the global network for exchange and cooperation on AI capacity building. Technology should widen opportunity, not divides. It should advance human rights, not undermine them. Excellencies, force we must strengthen the United Nations. At a time of rising expectation, our organization must rise to the moment. This is the purpose of the UN80 initiative: to build a UN system that delivers more effectively and more equitably, even as resources keep shrinking. A United Nations that is more agile where we must be, and stronger where people need us most. This work will move forward with transparency and partnership with you, the member states, and particularly developing countries. Excellencies, in all these areas, the essential choice is clear. Fragmentation or solutions. Division or delivery. Narrow self-interest or a shared determination to build a fairer future. The Group of 77 and China has long been a guardian of that determination. You can count on me to continue standing with you, to press for justice and equity, to defend international cooperation and solidarity, and to ensure that promises made to developing countries are promises kept. Thank you.

I wish to express our deepest gratitude to the Secretary-General for his thoughts and his encouraging remarks, the challenges that lie ahead this year and beyond, and we are aware that they are myriad and considerable. We have to draw inspiration from ideas and vision as the Secretary-General has just outlined. I also wish to express to you our heartfelt thanks for your steadfast support to our group and to the UN Development Agenda over the years. Allow me to assure you, Secretary-General, of our full cooperation as we work together to build a better and a stronger United Nations, the United Nations that we all need. We deeply value your dedication and we sincerely hope that we will be able to continue our close cooperation throughout our chairmanship in 2026. Members, guests, I propose that we briefly suspend the meeting so that our distinguished guests can leave the chamber to attend their other engagements. Thereafter, we'll move to the next agenda item. Thank you.