2. At the outset, the Group wishes to express its appreciation to the Co-Chairs for convening this important discussion and for the informative briefing held on 30 October, which provided valuable insights into this important topic. The Group further extends its gratitude to the panelists for their insightful presentations and valuable contributions.

3. The Group emphasizes that mandates achieve impact only through effective implementation, often requiring concerted efforts across multiple entities and areas of work, reflecting the Organization's multidimensional and cross-cutting nature.

4. The Group reaffirms that the overarching goal of the UN80 initiative is to make the United Nations more agile, resilient, and capable of delivering high quality and efficient services, while eliminating redundancy and overlap in mandate implementation.

5. The Group notes proposals for a Common Administrative Platform and merging several of ongoing entities (departments, offices) under the UN80 Initiative, emphasizing that any such process should enhance mandates implementation and service delivery, while remaining fully guided by intergovernmental oversight and the authority of Member States.

6. The Group believes that the successful implementation of mandates requires translating general aspirations into specific, measurable outcomes with clearly defined objectives. It is therefore essential to engage closely with the Secretariat, whose role should remain supportive in nature, on the modalities of implementation, while reaffirming the prerogative of Member States to define objectives and expected outcomes.

Co-Chairs,

7. The Group recognizes that artificial intelligence tools may offer advantages in identifying potential duplicative mandates and overlapping implementation across mandating bodies. However, their use must be approached with caution, given risks related to privacy, security, and the sensitive nature of intergovernmental work, as well as concerns about accuracy and transparency. Any consideration of such tools should therefore ensure adequate safeguards and that budgetary implications remain manageable in the current challenging financial context.

8. The Group considers it important to receive comprehensive information on the intergovernmental bodies that have established and overseen the implementation of specific mandates, including updates on the status of implementation and the underlying reasons for any non- or partial implementation. Such information would contribute to a clearer understanding of challenges and facilitate more informed discussions among Member States.

9. The Group also underscores the importance of ensuring that the Secretariat maintains a neutral and balanced role in mandate implementation. It is essential that all entities act strictly in accordance with mandates approved by Member States.

10. The Group further calls for mandate implementation to be measurable and supported by a system-wide evaluation mechanism. A key component of this effort is the need to link mandate decisions with projected costs, and to identify opportunities to enhance efficiency, coherence, and accountability throughout the implementation process.

Co-Chairs,

11. To conclude, the Group of 77 and China reiterates its strong commitment to engage constructively in this process. We emphasize that discussions on mandate implementation must remain inclusive, transparent, and efficient, ensuring full oversight and participation by all Member States.

I thank you.

2. The Group thanks Ms. Alayne Frankson-Wallace, Executive Director, Office of Administration of Justice, Ms. Shireen Dodson, UN Ombudsman , and Mr. Udo Fenchel the Vice Chair of the Advisory Committee on Administrative and Budgetary Questions for their respective reports.

3. The Group also takes note of reports of the Internal Justice Council and the Joint Inspection Unit.

4. The Group attaches great importance to the system of administration of justice as an independent, transparent and professionalized mechanism for effective human resource management of the Organization. The Group firmly believes that it is necessary to explore the resolution of work-related disputes and guarantee accountability and respect for the rights and obligations of staff members.

5. The Group notes with concern the sharp increase in requests for legal assistance across the internal justice system, reflecting growing anxiety among staff, regarding the impact of UN80 reform measures and budget reductions on employment conditions.

6. In particular, the Group notes with concren that the Office of Saff Legal Assistance recorded a rise in requests for legal assistance in 2025, while the Management Evaluation Unit (MEU) registered a 71 per cent increase in requests in 2024, the highest level since the establishment of the system. These figures reflect staff anxiety over the impact of reform measures and underline the importance of adequate capacity, early conflict prevention and timely responses by both OSLA and MEU.

7. The Group expresses concern over the increase in complaints of racism and racial discrimination, and reiterates that dignity, inclusivity, and equality for all staff is indispensable to a fair and respectful workplace. The Group supports ongoing efforts by the Anti-Racism Office and requests regular reporting on tangible progress achieved in this regard.

8. The Group recalls that the General Assembly resolution 79/254, requested the assessment of pilot initiatives such as judicial mediation and conciliation proceedings. We note the feedback provided by both the Secretary-General and the United Nations Dispute Tribunal, and believe that judicial mediation and informal mediation by the Ombudsman Office are complementary mechanisms, each contributing to the fair and expeditious resolution of disputes. The Group supports continued exploration of these tools, provided that participation remains voluntary and procedurally fair.

9. The Group attaches great importance to the Office of the United Nations Ombudsman, which plays a vital role in resolving workplace issues before they escalate. We welcome the significant increase in the number of cases handled in 2024 and the growing reliance on informal processes. The Group encourages the Secretariat to further strengthen this Office, ensure prompt follow-up on its recommendations, and promote awareness of its services among staff and managers.

10. The Group notes the recommendations of the Internal Justice Council regarding continuous judicial training, exposure to field realities, and ethical standards for judges. We underline that these measures to enhance performance and accountability must fully respect the principle of judicial independence, as established by the General Assembly in resolution 62/228.

11. The Group remains concerned by the rise in workplace misconduct, as highlighted in the Secretary-General's report and data collected by the Office of Internal Oversight Services. The Group condemns these behaviours in the strongest terms and urges the Secretariat to adopt a victim-centred approach, strengthen awareness programmes, and ensure that managers are held accountable for preventing and addressing such misconduct.

12. The Group also underlines the indispensable role of the Office of Staff Legal Assistance in ensuring equal access to justice for all staff. We encourage continued dialogue between the Internal Justice Council and OSLA to address capacity gaps, expand outreach, and ensure that all personnel, regardless of their category or duty station, benefit from adequate legal representation.

13. The Group of 77 and China stresses that the credibility of the United Nations depends on a justice system that is accessible, balanced and properly resourced. We therefore urge that any future reform or efficiency measure under the UN80 context should not compromise these foundational principles or undermine the independence or decentralized nature of the system.

14. The Group stands ready to engage constructively with all delegations and stakeholders on this important agenda item, with a view to achieving a timely and consensual conclusion.

Thank you.

At the outset, allow me to extend to you, Mr. Chair, and to the Bureau of the Second Committee, our sincere appreciation and gratitude for your leadership and stewardship of the Committee's work during the 80th session of the General Assembly.

As developing countries, the members of the Group of 77 and China attach great importance to the work of the Second Committee. It is therefore essential that any discussions related to its revitalization be conducted in an open, transparent, and inclusive manner, providing adequate space for text-based line by line negotiations and building upon the last finalized text on the revitalization process as the basis of discussions. Furthermore, the Group emphasizes that such discussions should not overlap or run parallel with other Second Committee-related meetings and events. We should also strive to avoid duplicating discussions or debates already underway in other processes, such as those related to UN80.

The Group reaffirms that any process of revitalization must be Member State-driven and guided by intergovernmental consensus, ensuring that all voices -particularly those of developing countries- are fully heard and reflected.

The Group continues to support initiatives aimed at enhancing the work and effectiveness of the Committee, but we stress that this must never come at the expense of diminishing or diluting the Committee's core focus on development.

Mr. Chair,

The Group reiterates that the revitalization of the Second Committee must serve to effectively address and advance solutions to global development challenges, many of which have seen limited progress, or, in some areas, significant regression, since the Rio process.

We are particularly mindful of the current global dynamics, which increasingly reflect an anti-development landscape. In this context, the Group of 77 and China will continue to engage constructively, as we have done in past dialogues under this agenda item, with the firm commitment to ensuring that the Committee's work remains impactful, relevant, and true to its development mandate.

The Group firmly believes that revitalization should strengthen the Committee's role in advancing international development and in accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Development must remain at the core of the Second Committee's work, with the eradication of poverty in all its forms and dimensions as the overarching objective of the global development agenda.

Moreover, the Group underscores that solidarity, and a multilateral approach centered on the United Nations remain critical to our collective efforts. We express deep concern over the prevailing global trends that run counter to the momentum and action urgently required by developing countries striving to improve the lives and livelihoods of their peoples.

Mr. Chair,

Permit me to reiterate some key positions of the Group on the revitalization of the work of the Second Committee, noting that many proposals raised revisit ideas that have been previously discussed and rejected.

For the Group, the following points are of particular importance:

On the consultation process:

The Group considers that the Committee's review of working methods, as mandated by GA resolution 79/327, in particular its OP25, should be approached in a step-by-step and inclusive manner, focusing first on identifying areas where consensus may already exist and where procedural adjustments could lead to improved efficiency without affecting the substantive scope of the Committee's work.