GROUP OF 77
GENEVA

STATEMENT OF THE GROUP OF 77 AND CHINA DELIVERED BY H.E SUON PRASITH, AMBASSADOR AND PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE OF CAMBODIA AND PRESIDENT OF THE GROUP 77 AND CHINA (GENEVA), AT THE TWENTY-SECOND SESSION OF THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL GROUP OF EXPERTS (IGES) ON COMPETITION LAW AND POLICY
(Geneva, 3 July 2024)

President of the 22nd Session of the IGE on Competition Law and Policy,
Deputy Secretary-General of UNCTAD, Mr. Pedro Moreno
Excellencies, Distinguished delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,

1. I have the honor to deliver this statement on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

2. At the outset, the Group of 77 and China wishes to congratulate you, Chair (Ms. Maria Elena Vasquez Taveras, Procompetencia, Dominican Republic) and Vice-Chair-cum-rapporteur (Ms. Helga Ribeiro Matos, Counsellor, Permanent Mission of Portugal) on your assumption of the chairmanship.

3. On behalf of the Group, I would like to express our sincere gratitude to the Secretariat for facilitating the arrangement of this important session of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts (IGEs) on Competition Law and Policy. This platform is invaluable for exchanging views, sharing experiences, and fostering collaboration to enhance competition policies and practices globally.

4. We would like to express our sincere appreciation for the productive engagement of the experts on this subject. We commend the valuable outcomes achieved through their dedicated efforts and insightful contributions.

5. The round table on the relation between competition and poverty reduction holds particular significance for the Group of 77 and China. In developing countries, policy coordination often presents challenges due to lack of capacities and resources. Balancing economic growth and equitable development would be detrimental to poverty reduction and addressing inequality within and between countries are crucial. To reach them, we value all effort towards building robust institutions that effectively serve their populations by reducing poverty and inequality.

6. The Group recognizes the pivotal role of competition in promoting economic efficiency, innovation, and consumer welfare. Since the inception of our respective economies into the global trading system, we have collectively made significant strides in developing and implementing competition laws and policies tailored to our unique developmental contexts.

7. While ongoing discussions about poverty reduction remain essential, developing members shall also address the rapidly growing digital and technological divides. These gaps are often caused by the absence of adequate regulatory and policy frameworks. The Group of 77 and China encourages this IGEs to continue addressing these critical issues to ensure inclusive development.

8. In addition, the Group is also interested to know the impact of oligopolies or monopolies implication in e-commerce and digital trade platforms in developing countries' markets. It is fundamental to analyze how these practices implication and their social and economic impacts as they may be anticompetitive and distort market conditions. For this reason, specific studies from UNCTAD are necessary to better equip the member States with the necessary tools to establish any practical regulatory frameworks on this particular issue, as well as to identify possible solutions for countries to better integrate to an international and multilateral trading system.

9. Last but not the least, the Group of 77 and China extends its gratitude to the Secretariat for its dedicated efforts in advancing multilateral debates on competition law and policy. We appreciate the support provided to members during their peer reviews and the assistance given to newly established agencies, enabling them to participate in and benefit from these important discussions.

10. In closing, Mr. President, the Group of 77 and China wishes you a productive 22nd Session of this IGEs. You can count on our full support.

Thank you, Mr. President.