On January 15, Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo on behalf of Guyana formally accepted to serve as Chair of the Group of 77 and China for the year 2020.
At the handing over ceremony which took place at the 74th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the Prime Minister accepted the task with “a great sense of gratitude and responsibility.” He paid tribute to the outgoing chair, the State of Palestine and commended its dedication and commitment to service.
According to the text of his remarks, Nagamootoo spoke of the many challenges facing developing countries but acknowledged that 2020 was “choc-full” of significant undertakings and challenges that will sternly test the mettle of the Group. In view of the challenges to come he cautioned that nothing short of “a strong, credible and focused G-77 will enable us to be equal to the demands of our time,” and assured that as Chair, “we can preserve and enhance the image and character of our Group as the largest negotiating bloc within the United Nations.”
The strength of the G-77, he continued, lies in its unity and solidarity and even though the circumstances, realities and experiences vary greatly within the Group, that diversity must continue to be a source of strength, adding, “The world needs a strong United Nations and G-77.”
The Prime Minister reminded that the G-77 derives its credibility from operating on a basis of principle through consistent and coherent action and therefore “We must work to ensure that our credibility is never subject to question.” He added that the Group must maintain its focus and have clear and common objectives while exercising leadership on issues of global importance. He urged members not to rest on their laurels but “continue to review, renew and revitalise our methods and modalities of work to ensure that the Group is optimised to pursue the best interests of and undertakings mandated by the Group.”
He noted that this year which is the 75thanniversary of the UN, is an opportune time for the G-77 to review its progress and contribution to this global organisation. This, he said, will take place through the convening of a meeting at Summit level, the supreme decision-making forum of the Group.
Nagamootoo congratulated Uganda on its decision to host the Third South Summit this year, following the Havana Summit in 2000 and the Doha Summit in 2005 and sees this upcoming event as an opportunity to review the progress of the G-77 and to strategise on concrete actions to consolidate and reinvigorate the platform of the South, including taking account of the current global context and developments and building on the outcome of the Second United Nations High-Level Conference on South-South Cooperation in Buenos Aires in March last year. Members were all encouraged to participate in the Summit at the highest possible level.
He also exhorted the Group to pursue definitive action to ensure that efforts to implement the Paris Agreement and to achieve the transformative 2030 Agenda, including the SDGs, are accelerated. “The rationale and urgency for such scaled-up efforts are abundantly clear to us all.”
The Prime Minister touched on the pride felt by his country in assuming the Chairmanship of the Group of 77 and China, noting that this year, Guyana celebrates the Golden Jubilee of its Republican status while embracing during 2020-2029, a ‘Decade of Development’ within the context of its ‘Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040’.
The government has been criticized for agreeing not to raise this country’s border controversy with Venezuela at the G-77 in return for Caracas’ support for Guyana’s chairmanship.
