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South Africa to Assume Chairpersonship of G-77 Washington
- South African Foreign Minister Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma will on Thursday, 12
January 2006, visit the United Nations (UN) Headquarters in New York, United States
of America to assume the Chairpersonship of the Group of 77 (G-77) on behalf of
South Africa. The Group of 77 (G-77) is the largest coalition of developing
countries in the United Nations, which provides the means for the countries of
the South to articulate and promote its collective economic interests and enhances
its joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic and development
issues in the United Nations system, promote South-South co-operation and strengthen
economic and technical co-operation among developing countries themselves. It
would be a high priority of the South African chairpersonship to maintain the
effectiveness of the G77. South Africa will during its tenure as Chair of the
G-77 be committed to enhancing the position of the Group as a constructive and
responsible partner in promoting North-South relations in support of the development
agenda of the South. Additionally, the importance for developing countries
of the need to co-ordinate common positions among themselves on global issues
is increasingly being recognised. Priority issues of the G-77 remain, to
ensure: - that the development challenges of Africa and other vulnerable
groups of countries are addressed;
- the achievement of the Millennium
Development Goals (MDGs);
- progress with the broader development agenda
of the South;
- the full implementation of all major UN conferences and
summits, in particular the Johannesburg Plan of Implementation, the Monterrey
Consensus and the World Conference against Racism;
- improvements in global
economic and financial governance; and
- the building and strengthening
of scientific and technological capacities of developing countries.
Issued
by Ronnie Mamoepa on 082 990 4853 Department of Foreign Affairs
Private
Bag X152
Tshwane
0001 11 January 2006
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