Group Of 77 And China A Strong Pillar Of Multilateralism: UN Chief

NEW YORK, Jan 15 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- The Group of 77 and China is a strong pillar of multilateralism, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Wednesday, reported Xinhua.

Speaking at the handover ceremony of the chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China, Guterres said the world began this year amid raging conflicts, widening inequalities, mounting debt burdens and an erosion of trust.

"We see climate chaos ... battering lives and livelihoods, and reversing hard-won development gains; we see technologies racing ahead of our ability to ensure they serve all people -- and all countries -- rather than just a privileged few; and we see international cooperation under strain -- even as global challenges keep proving one truth: no country can solve them alone," he said.

"That is why multilateralism matters," the UN chief stressed, highlighting the importance of a renewed commitment to cooperation in a truly interconnected, multipolar world.

"And that is why the Group of 77 and China remains indispensable," he said.

The secretary-general called on the international community to commit to the Sustainable Development Goals; meet the climate emergency with the speed and scale it demands and with climate justice at its center; ensure the digital age becomes an engine of inclusion rather than an accelerator of inequality; and strengthen the United Nations.

In her speech, UN General Assembly President Annalena Baerbock said that there is "unprecedented strain on the multilateral system and our United Nations."

She said increasing political polarisation and financial pressure impact not only discussions in New York but also on-the-ground operations across the globe, and therefore directly affect the people the United Nations is supposed to serve.

"Now more than ever, we must summon the courage to defend our Charter and to stand up for our convictions, even when it is inconvenient," said Baerbock.

"The Group of 77 and China plays a crucial role in this regard," she said.

According to Baerbock, the Group of 77 and China comprises 134 countries from across Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean, representing over 80 per cent of the world's population, including many least developed countries, small island developing states and emerging economic powerhouses.

At the ceremony, Uruguay took over the chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China from Iraq for the year 2026. 

--BERNAMA-XINHUA