Mr. Chairman, Mr. Alexander Tselyuk (Belarus)
Mr. Petko Draganov, Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD,
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,

1. The Group of 77 and China wishes to express its appreciation for the Secretariat’s efforts at streamlining the publications prepared by UNCTAD. The group wishes to emphasize the importance and value our members place in these publications.

2. We wish to highlight the relevance and utility of UNCTAD publications for developing countries and the Group underscores the need to take the realities facing developing countries into account in the implementation of the publications policy.

3. The Group of 77 and China recognizes that while it may be ideal to shift publication as much as possible to electronic means, the digital divide remains very much a reality and hard copies of these important publications and documents will continue to be necessary for the members of our Group into the foreseeable future.

4. The Group of 77 and China further underscores the importance of publications being translated in a timely manner, particularly if they are going to be considered at intergovernmental meetings. The lack of translation into the official languages of the United Nations serves to further marginalize developing countries from the intergovernmental process.

5. The Group wishes to express its appreciation for UNCTAD’s communications policy and recognizes the progress made in improving the dissemination of information to the member states, especially Geneva-based delegations.

6. The Group of 77 and China would like to point out however that the communications strategy is not a panacea for the myriad of challenges facing UNCTAD. Resolving the various issues would require greater engagement of member states in UNCTAD’s work especially through the reinvigoration of the intergovernmental pillar, and this is something that will have to be addressed in light of the agreements we reach at UNCTAD XIV in Lima, Peru next year.

7. The Group of 77 and China recognizes that the publications policy and communications strategy are important, and perhaps should be considered in the broader context of the totality of UNCTAD’s work. The Group would therefore be open to discussing ways and means of enhancing the consideration of these important matters, bearing in mind the important link between these issues and the program budget.

I thank you Mr. President.