Ban praises G-77 for securing sustainable future for billions of less fortunate people

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday said the "important" Group of 77 (G77) and China represents the aspirations of billions of the world's least privileged people. He told the handover ceremony of the Group's Chairmanship from Fiji to Bolivia that the Group's members are "among the most economically dynamic and resource-rich nations on earth. We will all benefit from your unity, your collective progress and your combined contribution to achieving a sustainable future for all humankind." The ceremony, attended by Bolivia's President Evo Morales Ayma, coincided with the Group's 50th anniversary. Morales' presence, he said, is "an affirmation of the central role of the Group of 77 and China in addressing key system-wide policy and the development issues and ensuring that the United Nations remains relevant and vibrant." "As we look ahead at 2014, we should also be encouraged by signs of global economic recovery. Let us work together to ensure this is inclusive, deep and durable. This means more jobs and greater advances on the key issues of poverty, hunger and health," he said. Recalling that less than two years remain to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), Ban said "we must do much more" to attain those goals, define a unified and universal post-2015 development agenda and agree on a global climate agreement. "As never before, we have the tools to eradicate poverty, improve social and economic well-being and lay the foundation for a sustainable future," he stressed, admitting that "at the same time, the stakes have never been higher." Established in 1964, the Group began initially with 77 members and has now reached 133, including Kuwait. It is the largest intergovernmental organization of developing countries, which provides the means for the countries of the South to promote their collective economic interests, enhance their joint negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues within the UN system, and promote South-South cooperation for development.