INTERVENTION BY THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA AT THE INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS ON THE ALIGNMENT OF THE AGENDAS OF THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND ECOSOC AND ITS SUBSIDIARY BODIES IN THE LIGHT OF THE ADOPTION OF THE 2030 AGENDA FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT (New York, 18 August 2020)

Excellencies,

1. I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China and wish to thank you for convening this informal consultation today, to receive Member States’ views on the proposed paragraphs for inclusion in the draft resolution on the revitalization of the General Assembly.

2. The Group of 77 and China is supportive of the updates proposed to operative paragraph 28 for the continuation of the mapping exercise. As the Group has previously expressed, we need to continue updating the mapping exercise carried out during the 73rd session and should ensure that we consider the substance of each resolution included in the matrix as opposed to only the title. This would ensure the most comprehensive treatment in this exercise. Furthermore, we continue to advocate for a comprehensive analysis of the agendas of the GA and ECOSOC and its subsidiary bodies, as a feed-in mechanism for the mapping exercise.

3. Additionally, with respect to the proposed updates to operative paragraph 28, the Group believes that before we develop consensus criteria for identifying possible gaps, overlaps and/or duplication, we reiterate the need to undertake a detailed, thorough and comprehensive analysis of the SDGs and the agenda items. The Group therefore proposes that we retain the language of 73/341 to take note of the initial efforts to identify possible duplication and overlap where they exist.

4. With respect to the proposed operative paragraph 29, the Group also recalls that the draft text of the alignment process fed into the draft resolution on revitalization of the GA during the 73th session, and recalls that this paragraph was not within the scope of the alignment process but rather fell within the ambit of the revitalization process of the GA. Therefore, the Group requests that this paragraph not be considered within the context of the alignment process.

5. My final observation relates to the proposed updates to operative paragraph 27. I believe there might be a typographical error in the last line so it should read 75th session instead of 74th session.

Excellencies,

6. I conclude my brief remarks by thanking you for your stewardship of the alignment process during this session. We are facing an unprecedented situation but it is commendable that we were still able to have discussions on this important item despite the constraints.

7. The G77 and China looks forward to further engaging on this issue in the upcoming session. Given that we have already embarked on this Decade of Action and Delivery for Sustainable Development is important for us to galvanize our efforts to align the agendas of the main organs in question to better address the 2030 Agenda in its entirety.

I thank you.

© The Group of 77

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