Distinguished Co-facilitators,

1. I have the honour to deliver the statement on behalf of the G77 and China.

2. At the outset, allow me to congratulate you for your appointment as co-facilitators for a very important process.

3. The Group appreciates the circulation of the concept note. It has clarified several questions. However, we have several queries and concerns on the procedure as well as on the substantive elements proposed to be part of the Summit.

3. The Group had expressed clearly during’Our Common Agenda’ consultations that the convening of a Summit involving key issues of governance would require consultations with member states.

4. Hence, we stress that the modalities resolution for the Summit must befully negotiated in an inter-governmental manner and mustprovide transparency and clarity and include details regarding the format, date, working methods, timeline,participation, scope and objectives, ‘tracks’ and the outcome document of the Summit.

5. With regards to theconcept note and the queries put forward in the co-facilitators letter, the Group would raise the following points:

6. First, on the timing of the Summit, there are multiple high-level events planned in 2023, including the SDG Summit, the High Level meeting on Universal Health Coverage, Global stocktake, and the High Level Dialogue on Financing for Development.

7. Our Common Agenda report also proposed Biennial Summit on the Global Economy in 2023.

8 The Summit of the Future must be complementary to and benefit from all of the aforementioned processes.

9. The Group therefore stresses the importance of allocatingadequate time and resources to all of these events in order to ensure active engagement of all delegations, especially from developing countries to achieve meaningful and inclusive outcomes.

10. At this stage, it seems that the preparatory negotiations would necessitate overlap with other events in 2023. Thus, the timing should be accordingly decided, keeping in mind these other processes as well. This would be a particular challenge for the smaller delegations from the G77 and China.

11. Negotiating sessions should not be clustered together too closely so that adequate time remains available between sessions to enable the Group to effectively coordinate positions and participate effectively.

12. The preparatory process must facilitate the effective participation of delegates from Capitals. Delegates from developing countries must be supported to ensure their participation. This implies that the UN Secretariat should provide the necessary resources for the participation of at least one delegate from all developing countries in all the preparatory meetings.

13. Second, on the proposed outcome document, the Group agrees with the need to have a ‘tangible’ outcome document.Logically, the outcome document will be informed by the scope of the Summit, including its ‘Tracks’.

14. In this regards, the Group would highlight two important points.

15. First, the concept note suggests requesting the Secretary General to submit a report to the General Assembly with recommendations on the Tracks.

16. While this report can be utilised as a resource, it is for inter-governmental negotiations on the modalities resolution to determine the proposed tracks of the Summit.

17. Second, on the suggestion for the outcome document being informed by the Report of the High Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism, we would appreciate greater clarity on this Board, its work, the form its recommendations will take and whether Member States would have a chance to engage on its findings.

18. This will help us better understand how the outcome document will be informed by this Board

19. The Group would also highlight that in the concept note, the focus of the outcome document remains overwhelmingly on ‘Improving Global Governance’ and there is a distinct lack of focus on implementation of existing commitments.

20. Third, with regards to participation in the Summit, characterising the Summit as a ‘High Level Multi-Stakeholder’ Summit might be premature.

21. Clarity is also required on the ‘active engagement’ of a broad array of Stakeholders.

22. The Group stresses that participation in the Summit will be determined through the modalities resolution.

23. Fourth, with regards to the the four overarching goals of the Summit mentioned in the concept note, the Group would stress that the goals and objectives of the Summit are to be decided through inter-governmental negotiations.

24. It is also stated, in the concept note, that the Summit is an opportunity to show a renewed commitment to the UN Charter and the principles of effective multilateralism.

25. The Group underscores that these principles of effective multilateralism should be inter-governmentally agreed and aligned with the UN Charter. Hence, the Group stresses that the goals of the Summit must also be negotiated through the modalities resolution.

26. In conclusion, the Group would highlight that the Way Forward for this process must be a detailed inter-governmentally negotiatedmodalities resolution, which considers the date and time, participation, the format, the scope and objectives, the tracks, and the outcome document of the Summit.

27. We also stress on the need to have a clear roadmap regarding this process, both for the negotiations on the modalities resolution and on negotiations for the outcome document.