President Museveni Takes Over Chairmanship Of G77 + China
![President Museveni Takes Over Chairmanship Of G77 + China](../admin/images/G77 pix1.jpg)
President Museveni at the Third South Summit of the G77 + China
Uganda has assumed the chairmanship of the Group of 77 plus China (G77+China).
President Yoweri Museveni will, in the next year, lead the largest negotiating bloc of developing countries in the United Nations, which provides the means for the countries of the South to articulate and promote their collective economic interests. Uganda took over the leadership from the Republic of Cuba during the 3rd South Summit of the G77+China Heads of State and Government at Speke Resort Convention Center, Munyonyo, under the theme “Leaving No One Behind.”
In his inaugural speech, President Museveni informed the Heads of State and Heads of Delegations that Uganda remains committed to the pledge to “leave no one behind” and called upon the international community to implement this by ensuring targeted support to enable countries in dire need to address their challenges without conditionality.
- “Leaving no one behind cannot be realized without adequately addressing the challenges and needs faced by countries in special situations, in particular, African countries, least developed countries, landlocked developing countries, and small island developing states, as well as specific challenges faced by many middle-income countries, conflict- and post-conflict countries, and countries and peoples living under foreign occupation. These challenges continue to undermine the efforts of these countries to ensure that no one is left behind. In our view, international financial institutions and multilateral development banks must support the national priorities of developing countries without any conditionalities that infringe on these countries’ sovereignty,” Museveni said, adding that Uganda has accelerated its national efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in its entirety to ensure that no one is left behind at a time when the country is striving to build back better from the COVID-19 pandemic and respond to other global challenges.
“Uganda has identified four key sectors of wealth creation and job creation that include commercial agriculture, industrialization, services, and information and communication technologies (ICTs) to support our socio-economic transformation. The Government of Uganda is implementing targeted interventions in the above key sectors with a view to ensuring that no one is left behind,” he added.
Gen. Museveni commended the unity within the G77+China Group, which has enabled it to stay on course to promote and defend its members’ collective economic interests at the United Nations, and urged members to continue embracing the founding principles that gave life to what he termed a heterogeneous and representative group of nations.
- “Currently, the populations of the G77+China represent 80% of the global population. In addition, its GDP accounts for more than 40% of the global GDP. This shows that, in spite of the challenges, the group has registered progress in defending and promoting the interests of developing countries,” he noted.
![President Museveni Takes Over Chairmanship Of G77 + China](../admin/images/g77 pix2.jpg)
![President Museveni Takes Over Chairmanship Of G77 + China](../admin/images/G77 pix3.jpeg)
H.E. Museveni further called on the group to remain united in their demand to the international community to support developing countries to urgently address the global challenges, in particular poverty, hunger, the digital divide, and climate change. He also called for an end to the threat of multilateralism and the rise of unilateralism, which make all susceptible to the impacts of the current unjust international economic order.
“As the G77 and China, we should continue to work collectively to ensure that we achieve an international economic order that is just and equitable, as envisaged 59 years ago at the founding of the Group,” Museveni said.
According to the President, Uganda is taking over the chairmanship of the group at an opportune time of its 60th anniversary. H.E. Museveni thanked members for entrusting Uganda with the chairing of Group 77+China for 2024, which will continue to yearn for a revitalized multilateral system that is capable of adequately addressing current and emerging global challenges.
“Uganda’s Chairmanship will strive to further promote: acceleration of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda; scaling up action to address climate change and biodiversity loss; strengthening international tax cooperation; financing for development; fight against illicit financial flows and strengthening digital cooperation, among others,” Museveni said.
- Speaking at the Summit, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called upon member States to live up to the expectations of the theme; “Leaving no one behind” at a time when many countries face political, social, and economic challenges. He also called for all-inclusive United Nations security.
- “Righting our troubled world depends on effective global action, yet the international system is out of date, out of time, and out of step. The United Nations Security Council is paralyzed by geopolitical divisions, and its composition does not reflect the realities of today’s world. It must be reformed,” Mr. Guterres said, adding that in the new technological era, no one should be left behind.
The President of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Dennis Francis said the coming together of the G77+China signifies their strength in shaping a new world order that is inclusive and leaves no one behind.
“The Summit of the Future aims to expedite the execution of the 2030 agenda, address crucial governance gaps, and remind member states of their pivotal role in development. The G77 must play a crucial role in shaping the outcome of the summit,” Dennis Francis said.
The Group of 77 (G-77) was established on June 15, 1964 by 77 signatories of the “Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Developing Countries” issued at the end of the first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva. The Group has now grown to 130 countries.