GROUP OF 77
NAIROBI

Statement by H.E. Mr. Dina Mufti Sid, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia to the Republic of Kenya, and the Permanent Representative to UNEP, UN-HABITAT, and UNON, Chairperson of the Group of 77 Chapter in Nairobi, at the 143rd Meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives to the United Nations Environment Program (UNON, Nairobi, 28 September 2018)

Mr. Chairperson,
Ambassadors and High Commissioners,
Distinguished representatives,

Good Morning,

First, I would like to congratulate the Joint Bureaux of the Committee of Permanent Representatives and the United Nations Environment Assembly, the President of the Fourth UNEA and United Nations Environment Program Secretariat for a successful Second Joint Retreat held in Tallinn, Estonia.

Mr. Chairperson,

The Group of 77 and China is convinced that the emergent cooperation, communication, transparency and inclusivity will certainly contribute towards the success of the Forth United Nations Environment Assembly. In this regard, the Group welcomes the active involvement of the Permanent Mission of Costa Rica as the ex-president to share the best experiences and lessons learned from the Third UN Environment Assembly.

The Group of 77 and China appreciates the active role played by the Secretariat to reach out to respective Member States and Geographic Blocks in order to accommodate their respective interests in the development of the Concept Note for the Fourth UNEA. Meanwhile, the Group calls upon the Secretariat and the President of the UNEA to continue to take into consideration the proceedings of Regional Meetings of Ministers of Environment in drafting the Ministerial Declaration.

Mr. Chairperson,

The Group of 77 and China appreciates the report of the Executive Director updating the Committee of Permanent Representatives on key developments in the period 1 April to 31 July 2018. These major developments include the World Environment Day global celebrations, whose launch was hosted by India; the High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development under the theme, "Transformation towards sustainable and resilient societies" that reviewed the progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals focusing on Goals 6, 7, 11, 12,15 and17; the adoption of a Procedural Resolution 72/277 on the Global Pact for the Environment; and number of successful collaboration between UNEP and Member states in various fields.

Mr. Chairperson,

The Group of 77 and China also welcomes the effort of the Secretariat on promoting South-South cooperation such as the launching of the Interim Secretariat of China-African Environmental Cooperation Centre. Accordingly, the Group encourages the Secretariat to continue to promote such partnership and to establish the China-African Environmental Cooperation Centre which was announced during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit held in September 2018 in Beijing, China.

Mr. Chairperson,

The Group of 77 and China takes note and appreciates the Secretariat's update on the implementation of UN Environment Assembly Resolution 2/18, entitled "Sustainable Consumption and Production'. Accordingly, the Group reiterates its request made during the 141st Meeting of the Committee of Permanent Representatives requesting the Secretariat to follow the same path in providing implementation update and implementation plan for the remaining resolutions. The Group strongly believes that such arrangements will contribute to the United Nations Environment Program's effort to better implement and better follow up resolutions and decisions of previous Assemblies and Governing Council decisions.

I thank you!