Mr. President,

1-         I have the honor to speak on behalf of the Group of 77 and China at this Organizational session, preparatory to the 15th Session of the High-Level Committee on South-South Cooperation to be held in New York from 29 May to 1 June 2007.

2-         Let me begin by congratulating you Mr. President and other members of the bureau for your election for the 15th session of the Committee.  I would like to assure you of our full support and cooperation. I would also take this opportunity to express our sincere appreciation to the outgoing President and the bureau for their excellent leadership during the 14th session of the Committee and for bringing our deliberations to a successful conclusion.

3-         The Group of 77 and China would like also to thank the Secretariat for its tireless efforts to ensure the timely issuance of all the documents to be considered during the 15th session of the High-Level Committee on South-South Cooperation. In this context, I wish to seize this opportunity to express our appreciation to Mr. Yiping Zhou, the Director of the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation for the key role that the Special Unit has been playing under his able leadership to channel new opportunities for South-South cooperation.

4-         The High-Level Committee debate will focus this year on the theme: “The role of the UN in Strengthening South-South and Triangular cooperation”. This issue is of central importance and particularly relevant especially considering the forthcoming Commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the Buenos Aires Plan of Action. For this reason, the outcome of our session would have a direct link with the evaluation of BAPA.   

5-         Endorsed by the General Assembly in resolution 33/144 of December 1978, the BAPA was an expression of the aspirations of developing countries and a reflection of their desire to promote economic and technical cooperation among themselves as complement to North-South cooperation. This important step marked the beginning of a new phase in South-South Cooperation. The major thrust of the BAPA is even more relevant today considering the impact of globalization and liberalization in the global economy and the United Nations institutions have included in their policies and programmes, activities which aim towards the consolidation of South-South cooperation.

6-         As the leading partner in South-South cooperation, the Group of 77 and China has always attached fundamental importance in promoting economic and technical cooperation among developing countries. This past decade has demonstrated the increasing impact and relevance of South-South cooperation to the main development challenges and concerns in the South. Significant progress has been registered in strengthening this vital form of cooperation. In this context, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, I would like to express our appreciation for the support and contribution provided by the UN system through its focal point, the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation in accordance with General Assembly resolution 58/220.

7-         I wish to recognize also the work of our development partners in providing a valuable contribution in the context of triangular cooperation. The Group of 77 and China would like to emphasize the importance of strengthening South-South Cooperation as stressed at the G-77 brainstorming session held last week on South-South Cooperation with the participation of the President of the General Assembly, the Deputy Secretary-General and the Administrator of the UNDP, during which there was a general consensus that South-South Cooperation must be strengthened and given higher profile and visibility.

8-         In conclusion, Mr. President, I would like to assure you of our full support and cooperation and reiterate to you once again the commitment of the Group of 77 and China to work very closely with you with a view to advancing the interests and objectives of South-South cooperation.

I thank you.