Mr. President, Distinguished delegates, and members of the Executive Board,

1. I have the honour to deliver this statement on behalf of the Member States of the Group of 77 and China. Mr. President we congratulate you on your leadership throughout your presidency of the Executive Board of UNDP and of UNFPA. The Group would also like to congratulate Madam. Helen Clark, on her appointment as Administrator of the UNDP .Her vision, experience and leadership is needed to navigate the many challenges ahead, and to build consensus and forge collaboration. Our appreciation also goes to UNFPA Executive Director Thuria Ahmmed Obeid for her outstanding cooperation and achievement. The Group of 77 and China hopes to continue the spirit of constructive engagement with the organization, the Board and with all our development partners as a means of improving coordination and cooperation for greater development effectiveness.

2. The Group of 77 and China was very keen in ensuring we adopted a strategic plan that fully takes into account the development interest programme countries, and is therefore pleased to see that implementation of the Strategic Plan is progressing following the many consultations and brainstorming sessions we had last year. We sincerely hope that the UNDP will continue to be responsive to the views and interest of the programme countries throughout the implementation period of the plan. Indeed we continue to hope and advocate for a true partnership between programme countries, donor countries and the UNDP, with the aim of achieving decisive, significant and measurable development on the ground.

3. Mr. President, the Group reiterates the importance it accords to the core development mandate of the UNDP in supporting national efforts at poverty eradication. It's a priority for the Group that the UNDP remains focused on its core development mandate, in particular support to capacity-building and capacity-development efforts of programme countries to achieve internationally agreed development goals, including the MDGs. We firmly believe that the strategic vision and operations of the organization must be in line with the priorities of developing countries and core development mandate of the UNDP.

4. During the discussions on the UNDP's strategic plan last year, the group of 77 and China, raised significant concerns on certain approaches to development that do not give the level of primacy and priority to poverty eradication, the MDGs and economic and social development that is required and desired by programme countries. In this regard we reiterate that the development perspectives to which developing countries themselves ascribe, i.e. perspectives focused on human development, sustainable development and poverty eradication, and urge that these be reflected in a meaningful way in implementation of the Plan during the current plan period.

5. Mr. President, the UNDP and UNFPA operate in a complex and diverse international environment with multiple and multi-faceted challenges to development at all levels. Those organizations continue to face increasing demands for development assistance and effectiveness in carrying out their mandates. We therefore urge donor countries to fulfill their commitments to support these organizations and not to use the financial crisis as a pretext to avoid their commitments.

6. The Group of 77 and China is also strongly of the view that, in order to maintain neutrality of its work, UNDP should work on the basis of "operational principles", which have universal acceptance and application.

7. On the financing issues, the group would like to stress that resources should not be directed from the programme budget to meet the management nor coherence costs. Rather, we believe, UNDP cost cutting exercises should be aimed at making more financial resources available to the programme budget.

8. The Group of 77 and China would like to reaffirm the position that funding for development activities should not be tied to any conditionalities, or earmarked for certain focus areas. Instead, it should be allocated according to the respective national priorities and plans of programme countries.

9. Mr. President, The group recall for a strong and strict policy that would act as an incentive for the organization to pursue with renewed vigor the principles of accountability, and respect confidential documents and encourage respect for the principle of confidentiality. The decision we negotiated (2008/37) is detailed and specific in the requirements for disclosure and should be strictly adhered to.

10. The Group of 77 and China wishes to stress the importance of the role of the UNDP and the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation within the context of the implementation of UNDP's Strategic Plan 2008-2011, and wishes to stress once again the importance it attaches for the Special Unit for South-South Cooperation to focus on the agreed strategic elements  contained in the Fourth Cooperation  Framework for South-South Cooperation including regular updates on progress made in its implementation in the context of the preparations for the forthcoming High-level United Nations Conference on South-South Cooperation.

11. In conclusion, Mr. President, the Group would like to thank you, Sir, for your leadership and guidance throughout your presidency of the Board and we will continue to work with you and your bureau in a constructive manner throughout the rest of your presidency.

Thank you.