Let me extend to you, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, our sincere felicitations on your election as the President of the Economic and Social Council. We would also like to congratulate your colleagues on their election to the Council’s Bureau.

2.     I would also like to take this opportunity to thank, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, Ambassador Ali Hachani, the Permanent Representative of Tunisia, and his delegation for their hard work in ECOSOC over the past year. I would like to personally express my sincere gratitude to Ambassador Hachani for his outstanding stewardship and success in guiding the Chamber in 2006 through a myriad of challenges with great efficacy and confidence.

3.     Advancing the implementation of Monterrey through the successful convening of the ECOSOC Special High Level Meeting with BWIs, WTO and UNCTAD, the adoption of the Ministerial Declaration on employment generation and decent work for all, the ECOSOC review of funding for development cooperation and clarifying the role of ECOSOC in the follow-up to the World Summit on the Information Society are, among others, some of the salient achievements made by the Council during 2006. Most importantly, under Ambassador Hachani’s leadership ECOSOC was at the forefront of efforts to advance the global development agenda.

Mr. President,

4.     We look forward to working closely with you and the new Bureau during 2007, which is an important and challenging year for the Council, particularly in regard to the implementation of the agreements reached in the General Assembly resolution 61/16 on the strengthening of the Economic and Social Council and the operationalization of ECOSOC’s new responsibilities as the Development Cooperation Forum and the Annual Ministerial Review. We assure you of our full support and cooperation in steering the activities of the Council and of our continued constructive engagement to further strengthen and revitalize ECOSOC.

5.     We are confident that the Council under your leadership will be able to make a positive contribution to promoting a genuine partnership for development aimed at achieving the internationally agreed development goals including the MDGs and realizing the vision of a peaceful and prosperous world.

6.     We also welcome the presence of the Secretary General at the Council’s first organizational session and view this as yet another indication of his keenness to closely engage with Member States and the importance that he attaches to the work and activities of the Economic and Social Council.

I thank you.