Pakistan formally hands over chairmanship of G-77 & China to Cuba

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Pakistan formally hands over chairmanship of G-77 and China to Cuba
Pakistan formally hands over chairmanship of G-77 and China to Cuba

New York, 13 January 2023 (TDI): Pakistan formally handed over the Group of 77 and China chairmanship to Cuba, on Thursday. The country has completed its one-year term.

During the term of Pakistan, the world grappled with triple crises of food, fuel, and finance, which disproportionately impacted developing countries.

Munir Akram, the Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations (UN), handed over the gavel to Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez. The ceremony was held in the Trusteeship Council of the UN.

Upon taking over as chairman, the Cuban Foreign Minister praised Pakistan’s “laudable” leadership of the Group of 77 during the year 2022.

Address by the Foreign Minister of Pakistan

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari addressed via a video conference from Islamabad. He said, “It is my honor to transfer the Chair of the G77 and China to Rodriguez Parilla of Cuba.”

“The Group must maintain its unity, coordination, and collective action. It must secure implementation of the positions the Group has set out in the Outcome Document adopted last month.” Bilawal reiterated.

Also read: Decoding Pakistan-Cuba Relations

He concluded by assuring that Pakistan will extend its full cooperation to Cuba. The country will continue to play an active and positive role as a member of the Group of 77 and China.

G-77 & China under Pakistan’s chairmanship

A founding member of G-77, which promotes the developing countries’ collective economic interests at the UN, Pakistan took over the chairmanship of G-77 from Guinea on January 14, 2022.

Under Pakistan’s chairmanship, the Group has played an important role in keeping development at the forefront of the UN. It focused on developing countries’ crises caused by the lingering COVID-19 pandemic & the growing impacts of climate change.

Also read: Pakistan calls for early implementation of UN resolution on Kashmir

Additionally, attention was given to the rising debt distress, food insecurity, and persistent fragility and conflicts like Russia-Ukraine.

The group has secured many agreements including finance recovery from the crises and achieved the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).

It was able to secure consensus for action on major economic, financial, development, and environmental issues. Notably, the Group was able to achieve form a “loss and damage” fund during the UN Climate Change Conference, COP27.