Mr. President,

I have the honour to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China on agenda item 7 (a), entitled "Coordination, Programme and Other Questions: Reports of Coordination Bodies".

2. The Group of 77 and China wishes to commend the Chairman of the Committee for Programme and Coordination, Ms. Norma Elaine Taylor Roberts, and the members of the Committee for the work that they performed in the 46th session of the Committee. We also wish to thank the Chairman of the Committee for her introduction of the report of the Committee, in particular the section dealing with coordination questions.

Mr. Chairman,

3. The Group of 77 and China attaches great importance the work of the Committee for Programme and Coordination as the main subsidiary organ of the Economic and Social Council and the General Assembly for planning, programming and coordination. We appreciate the guidance given by the Committee to the entities of the United Nations system on their programmes and activities. This mandate contributes to efforts to enhance coherence and co-ordination throughout the system.

4. The Group of 77 and China endorses the recommendations contained in the report of the Committee for Programme and Coordination. We wish to invite the members of the ECOSOC to pay particular attention to the Coordination Questions contained in Chapter III of the report A/61/16, in which the Committee dealt in great detail with the report of the United Nations Chief Executive Board and the reports on the New Partnership for Africa's Development.

5. It is the view of the Group of 77 and China that the United Nations System Chief Executive Board plays a vital role in improving inter-agency cooperation and enhancing the effectiveness of the United Nations system. We also appreciate the central role that it plays in sharing experiences among the United Nations organizations and developing a coordinating strategy and policy aimed at enhancing the output of the organizations. The Group trusts that every effort will be made by the CEB to strengthen the implementation of the Development Agenda. The Group welcomes the efforts of the CEB in the development of a system-wide approach to coordinate the actions of all agencies in the fight against hunger and poverty. We also firmly support the recommendation of the CPC that the CEB continues its work on this important issue and reports on the progresses being achieved.

6. The Group of 77 and China believes that the CEB must also continue to ensure effective coordination of the United Nations system support for the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD). It is important to highlight that the system-wide support for the New Partnership is a priority of the Organization and that the United Nations system plays a fundamental role in the implementation of NEPAD. In this regard, the Group supports the recommendation that the Economic Commission for Africa and the Office of the Special Adviser should be strengthened in order to coordinate the contributions of United Nations agencies to NEPAD and assist in the implementation of the Partnership at the regional and global level.

I thank you, Mr. President.