His Excellency, Mr Alfredo Suescum (Panama),
Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Dr. Mukhisa Kituyi,
Principal Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Trade of Kenya, Her Excellency, Ms Monica Juma,
Director, Economic and Commercial Diplomacy & Chair of National Preparatory Committee for UNCTAD14, Mr. Nelson Ndirangu,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Member States of the Group of 77 and China.

Mr. President, we would like to express our appreciation to you as well as to the ‘Friends of the Chair’ on the work done so far to advance the text of the draft outcome document.

We also wish to place on record our appreciation to the Secretariat for the preparation of the documentation and the support given to our deliberations during the Preparatory Committee and in this session of the Trade and Development Board.

We thank our Host Chair for updating us on Kenya’s preparedness for UNCTAD XIV. We are deeply grateful to the People and Government of Kenya for this gesture of solidarity with UNCTAD and all member states. We assure you Madam Principal Secretary that the G 77 and China will redouble efforts to secure an outcome in Nairobi that will ensure that UNCTAD will deepen its contribution to the goals for which it was established and the tasks that flow from the historic Global Outcomes of 2015.

Mr. President, the G77 and China takes note of the progress made in certain areas, as reflected in the text that has been presented to us. We regard this text as a living document on which focused work must now intensify. We recognise that with only 26 working days left before the start of UNCTAD XIV, we have a difficult path ahead of us in the negotiations if we are to ensure that we have a document that is worthy of consideration by our Ministers.

It is our hope, Mr. President, that with your leadership, we will move forward in a constructive and efficient manner, to ensure that this goal is achieved.

In this regard I wish to make a few observations not addressing matters of substance but rather of process:

1. The Group of 77 and China stands ready to engage fully in an intensified process of negotiations. In this regard, we suggest that the accelerated programme of work under your direction be so organised to enable focused and sustained attention to each subtheme in turn.

2. We take note of your decision to delay your involvement in negotiations at the level of Ambassadors. The Group 77 and China will seek to deepen engagement with other group coordinators at the level of Ambassadors complemented by experts as appropriate, to seek to bridge gaps on a number of issues. We do so in the hope that this will facilitate progress in the ongoing negotiation and drafting track. We wish to make it abundantly clear that the involvement of Ambassadors and senior officials in informal negotiating processes (before the last minute) is no indictment of experts, and we expect no misapprehension that this would be so. Indeed, it is an act of solidarity with our colleagues whose long and tireless work will remain the backbone of our charge to Nairobi. Our experts deserve our highest commendation for their fortitude, dedication, and skill. They will now have our fullest support, sleeves rolled up, as theirs have been for days and nights on end.

3. I am aware that concern was expressed to a number of our members regarding the initiative of the Group 77 and China to advance in this direction and in particular with respect to communication which is being undertaken with other groups in support of this effort. We are satisfied that our position is now well understood.

4. Finally, I wish to express our appreciation to the Group Coordinators and members of JUSSCANZ, The European Union, and Group D for the constructive engagement. I must also, in turn, express appreciation to the Group Coordinators and members of the African Group, the Arab Group, the Asian- Pacific Group, our own Group GRULAC, the LDC Group, the LLDC Group, the SIDS Group, and China which comprise the Group of 77 and China. I am confident that the concerns of all will ultimately be recognised and addressed in the outcomes of our conference.

I thank you.