São Paulo – This Tuesday (15), Palestine took over the rotating presidency of G77+China, in a ceremony held in the Headquarters of United Nations in New York. Created in 1964 during the first United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad), G77 is a group uniting developing countries, designed to articulate and promote common economic interest of these nations.
“We assure you that the State of Palestine, in representing the Group of 77 and China on all matters relevant to the Group’s agenda, will pursue the path paved by previous Chairs, and will strive to carry forth the legacy and traditions of our Group in addressing the challenges before us for achieving progress and prosperity for our peoples and States,” said Palestine president Mahamoud Abbas during the ceremony, according to information from the Palestine news agency Wafa.
Now G77 has 134 member States, including Brazil and all of 22 Arab nations, but kept its original number of members in its name.
“We will dedicate our efforts to protecting the interests of the Group in all its geographical components, guided by the principle of unity in diversity, including Africa, and with the needed attention for the Least Developed Countries, Small Developing Island States, Middle Income Countries, and peoples living under colonial and foreign occupation, so as to ensure no one is left behind,” Abbas stated.
According to Wafa, he added that peace in the Middle East will significantly enhance sustainable and stable development, and that Israel’s occupation of Palestine undermines development in the region. “Regrettably, however, Israel’s continued colonization and occupation of the State of Palestine undermines our development and capacity for cooperation and coordination and obstructs cohesive future development for all peoples of the region,” stressed the Palestinian president.
Abbas reaffirmed Palestine’s commitment to international law and “a peaceful solution that brings an end to the occupation and the realization of the independence of the State of Palestine, with East Jerusalem as its capital, living side by side in peace and security with the State of Israel on the basis of the 1967 borders, and the just resolution of all final status issues, including for the plights of our refugees and prisoners in accordance with the relevant international resolutions.” In 1976 occurred the Six-Day War, when Israel occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
The president concluded stressing that assuming the chair of the G 77 “is undoubtedly an important mission and a great responsibility that Palestine will undertake with humility, commitment, dedication and determination to uphold and defend the interests of the Group and to strengthen the positions of its members in the United Nations.”
Abbas received the annually rotating presidency of the bloc from the Egyptian minister of foreign affairs Sameh Shoukry, who occupied the chair during last year. UN secretary general António Gutteres was present at the ceremony.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
