Thank you, Mr. Chair,
Excellencies, distinguished colleagues:

I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

At the outset, allow me to extend our warmest congratulations to you, Mr. Chair, and the members of the Bureau on your election. The Group of 77 and China assures you of our full support and cooperation during this session.

The Group thanks the Secretary-General for the submission of the reports under agenda items of concern for the group, which will enrich our discussions.

As we mark the 80th Anniversary of the United Nations, the Group of 77 and China renews its unwavering commitment to multilateralism and international cooperation. In this decisive decade of action, we must join hands to realize the 2030 Agenda, leaving no country and no person behind, and building together a just, inclusive and better world, respecting, promoting and protecting human rights for all.

The Group reaffirms that all humans are equal in dignity and rights, as recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Vienna Declaration and Programme for Action

South-South cooperation is a vital expression of solidarity, but cannot substitute North-South commitments. We therefore call for scaled-up collaboration in science, technology transfer, digital transformation, and trade, guided by shared purpose and anchored in our solidarity and collective resolve to leave no one behind.

The group reaffirms that the Commission for Social Development has the primary responsibilities for the follow-up to the Copenhagen Declaration and Programme of Action, and stresses its role in the contributing to the follow-up to the 2030 Agenda.

Mr. Chair,

As in past sessions, the Group submit before this 80th Session four draft resolutions, reflecting our shared priorities and collective commitment. Against this backdrop the group would like to emphasize the following:

First:

Thirty years after the World Summit for Social Development, we acknowledge the progress made in advancing the core pillars of Copenhagen declaration; yet, we remain deeply concerned that poverty, inequality, and exclusion persist, compounded by new and emerging global challenges. Poverty continues to be the greatest obstacle to development, while the world risks falling short of the 2030 Agenda.

The Group underscores that many developing countries will not be able to advance in social development efforts, while they face unilateral coercive measures, which have a direct and negative impact on the wellbeing of their populations.

The Group of 77 and China looks forward to the convening the Second World Summit for Social Development, whereby we recommit to the Copenhagen Declaration and its Programme of Action on Social Development and its implementation, while giving momentum towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The Group looks forward to the adoption of its political declaration.

Second:
        
The Group, while recalling the commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the International Year of the Family in 2024, underscores the need to strengthen family-oriented policies and programmes through concrete strategies that build national capacities within a comprehensive approach to development.

The Group underscores the importance of family-oriented policies and programmes as catalysts for reducing poverty and hunger, promoting the well-being of all at all ages, supporting children's development, and breaking the intergenerational cycle of poverty.

Third:

The Group's steadfast commitment to the rights and well-being of older persons is reflected in its annual resolution on the "Follow-up to the Second World Assembly on Ageing" in the Third Committee, whose relevance continues to grow amid persistent inequalities and discrimination. As the global population ages, we must foster an enabling environment for the equal and meaningful participation of older persons, by combating discrimination and safeguarding their dignity. We also emphasize the comprehensive nature of the Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing and thereby the need to foster holistic policies to address population ageing encompassing the social and human rights aspects.

We must also remain mindful that today's youth are tomorrow's older persons, we must prepare ourselves to respond better to the new realities of ageing populations.

Fourth:

The Group of 77 and China reaffirms its strong opposition to all forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, including the alarming rise in religious hatred and intolerance. We are deeply concerned by the resurgence of contemporary forms of discrimination, racial profiling and negative stereotyping based on religion or belief and the increase in incidents related to religious hatred, which constitute serious violations of human rights.

In this regard, we reiterate the central importance of the Durban Declaration and Programme of Action as the comprehensive framework for combating these scourges. The legacy of colonialism, slavery, and systemic exploitation has created deep-rooted global inequalities that persist across generations. Advancing reparatory justice is vital in addressing global inequality through structural reforms in global governance, trade, debt, finance to advance the SDGs.

We call upon Member States and the international community to condemn religious intolerance and hatred, foster dialogue, tolerance, and respect for cultural, ethnic and religious diversity as essential to the attainment of human dignity and equality.

Mr. Chair,

Thirty years on, the Group reaffirms its steadfast support for the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, while acknowledging progress towards the achievement of SDG5. In the same vein, the group stresses the urgency of building on the momentum of Beijing+30 to accelerate advances, recognizing that achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls and the full, equal and meaningful participation of women are indispensable to just and inclusive societies. In this spirit, we recommit to eliminating all forms of discrimination and violence against all women and girls and to ensuring their empowerment in all spheres of life.

The Group underscores the imperative of mainstreaming disability as an integral part of inclusive development policies and programmes. We welcome the progress made, while reaffirming the need to prioritize it in international cooperation. We stress the importance of redoubling efforts to ensure full and equal access to education, employment, and healthcare for persons with disabilities, and to place disability inclusion at the heart of national development strategies.

The Group welcomes the continued focus on youth and persons with disabilities, and call on the international community, including the United Nations and development agencies, to strengthen support for youth through inclusive education, training, skills development, addressing digital literacy challenges and promoting employment, and to advance accessibility, inclusion and non-discrimination for persons with disabilities.

The Group stresses that migration is an enabler of development. The roles and responsibilities of the countries of origin, transit and destination should be appropriately balanced. It is crucial to cooperate internationally to ensure safe, orderly and regular migration involving full respect for human rights and the humane treatment of migrants, regardless of their migration status, refugees and displaced persons. Such cooperation should also strengthen the resilience of communities hosting refugees, particularly in developing countries.

In conclusion, we must redouble our efforts to break down the barriers still faced by millions worldwide.

I thank you.