Mr. Chairman,
Dr. Supachai Panitchpakdi, Secretary-General of UNCTAD,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Colleagues,

I would first like to express my deep appreciation to you all for your support, which has enabled Thailand to assume the Chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China this year. I wish to thank the Asian Group for nominating me to serve in this capacity. It is a great honour to take on this important responsibility and I am fully mindful of the many pressing tasks that lie ahead. As a long-standing member of the Group of 77 and China, Thailand is determined to do our utmost to advance the interests of the G77 and China, both in UNCTAD and other international fora.

Allow me also to extend my heartfelt thanks to H.E. Ambassador Chitsaka Chipaziwa of Zimbabwe, who has most capably led the Group over the past year during a particularly crucial time. He and his team played an instrumental role in guiding the preparations leading up to UNCTAD XII in Accra and the success of the Conference can, to a great extent, be attributed to his able Chairmanship.

I also wish to thank the UNCTAD Secretary-General and his hard-working staff for their continued strong support to the Group. I am gratified to see the increasingly stronger ties between the G77 and China and the UNCTAD Secretariat over the past year, which must be further enhanced. This relationship is especially important because UNCTAD has served as an important vehicle for developing countries to articulate and promote their collective economic interests on all major international economic issues in the United Nations system. I therefore wish to reiterate my intention to continue working closely with the UNCTAD Secretariat and the President of the Trade and Development Board.

Excellencies,
Distinguished Colleagues,

As the Secretary-General of UNCTAD has already alluded to in his opening remarks, the year 2009 will be a particularly challenging time for all of us, coming against the backdrop of the global financial crisis and a looming economic recession. In addition to this, the adverse repercussions of an energy crisis, food crisis and climate change still loom large. While all countries will not be spared by these crises, there is no doubt that developing countries will be affected to a greater extent than developed countries.

As a result, many of the key objectives that we seek to achieve, namely, the Millennium Development Goals, poverty eradication and alleviation, and the full implementation of the Accra Accord, will inevitably become more difficult to realize. The need for close and effective cooperation within the Group and beyond is therefore more crucial than ever.

The pressing challenges we face require us to work together in a reinvigorated manner. We have to begin addressing issues on our agenda. As we are all aware, the International Conference on the Follow-up to the Monterrey Consensus, held in Doha, Qatar at the end of November 2008, called for the convening of a conference on the world financial and economic crisis and its impact on development. The Group of 77 and China in Geneva will have to do our part to provide valuable inputs to this Conference. In addition to this, the work programme of G77 and China will include ensuring the success of the multi-year expert meetings and the various Commissions that have been reformed since UNCTAD XII. Our combined efforts will help chart the course and ensure success for the full implementation of the Accra Accord.

Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Colleagues,

As Chair of the G77 and China, I will be guided by the collective view of the Group. The Chair can only be as successful as our ability to exercise our collective leverage. I will ensure that within the G77 and China, we reach out among all the different Groups and that the diverse interests and concerns of all 130 members will be fully taken into account in a balanced and comprehensive manner. At the same time, it is incumbent upon us to strive to work together with our developed partners in a spirit of cooperation and partnership.

By no means do I underestimate the tasks ahead. I look forward to your support and cooperation in order to advance the interests of all the members of the G77 and China.

Thank you.