GROUP OF 77
NAIROBI

Statement by H.E. Mr. Raza Bashir Tarar, Head of Pakistan Delegation on behalf of the Group of 77 and China at the Third Session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-3)
(Nairobi, 4 December 2017)

Mr. President

          It gives me great pleasure to make the statement on behalf of G77 and China. Let me begin by congratulating you and other members of the Bureau on your election.  The Group of 77 and China assures you of its full cooperation. 
           

          The significance of the 26th Session of the Governing Council (GC26) is enhanced by the fact that it is being held just a few months after the successful UN Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development held in Ecuador which adopted the New Urban Agenda.

          The New Urban Agenda is a framework that lays out how cities should be planned and managed to promote sustainable urbanization.

          The Member States agreed on a common roadmap for the next 20 years.  The New Urban Agenda dovetails into the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development encompassing 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Goal 11 is Sustainable Cities and Communities.  But the SDGs have a cross cutting nature and all Goals have to be pursued in a holistic manner.

          The Group would also like to emphasize the importance of providing adequate financial and human resources to UN-Habitat.  At the same time we urge UN-Habitat to address its weaknesses with a clear headed approach.

          The Group of 77 and China welcomes the holding of GC-26 and is confident that UN-Habitat will strive to achieve its goals by engaging developing and least developed countries with special attention to extending requisite assistance.  In this regard the importance of transfer of technology, capacity building and canalization of financial resources cannot be underestimated.  

          This Group is willing to extend its full support to the organization and other partners for realization of our common goals, recognizing as a premise the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities.   

          We are aware that an independent assessment of the organization is being undertaken.  We would like to emphasize that inputs of the Nairobi-based Committee of Permanent Representatives of UN-Habitat, must be factored in.  The Group is concerned at the growing trend of diminishing the importance of Nairobi which is the Headquarters of UN-Habitat.  This tendency must be eschewed.

          While acknowledging the importance of engaging all relevant stakeholders  G77 and China want to reiterate that the intergovernmental nature of UN-Habitat as well as its deliberations and decisions must be respected.

          The Governing Council which serves as the decision making body for the United Nations Human Settlement Programme and is also the approving body for the organization’s biennial work programme and budget should devise such policies which incorporate the interests and priorities of developing and least developed countries. 

          The programme of work which will be adopted by the end of this session should be all encompassing and inclusive of needs and requirements of all Member States.

          In conclusion, we would like to thank the outgoing Executive Director and the Deputy Executive Director of UN-Habitat for their efforts to ensure that Human Settlements and Urbanization are mainstreamed in global commitments on development such as agenda 2030 and the New Urban Agenda. 

Thank you Mr. President.
           
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