In the wake of the successful hosting of the G20 Summit, where India strongly affirmed its dedication to the advancement of the Global South, the nation reaffirmed its vision during the Group of 77 (G77) Summit held in Cuba. The G77 and China Summit concluded in Havana, Cuba on Saturday, finalizing a declaration that underscores the importance of enhancing unity and solidarity amidst the present international circumstances.
Although External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar was unable to travel to Havana due to the Special Parliamentary session commencing today, on September 18, India was represented by Sanjay Verma, Secretary MEA (West). Sharing a post on X (formerly Twitter), the Secretary said, “India’s G20 Presidency initiative to mainstream Global South issues highlighted. G77 should focus on its core mandate and not get distracted by bilateral political conflicts.
Flagging three issues in front of the G77 group, Secretary Sanjay Verma stated that the group must have one voice to address the economic and developmental challenges and should not get distracted by bilateral political issues. He urged to reinforce the unity and in solidarity of the group. He further suggested that working methods and procedures must be credible, open, consultative and transparent, and codified to avoid ambiguities.
Secretary Verma also recalled that India earlier this year hosted a Voice of the Global South Summit consultations with 125 States, which eventually found expression in the New Delhi G20 Leaders’ Declaration. During his address at the event, which aimed to tackle developmental challenges by leveraging science, technology, and innovation effectively, Verma noted that the G20 summit in India had demonstrated that with strong political determination, it is feasible to reform the framework of multilateralism.
Final declaration of the G77 group
The G77, originally established in 1964, is a coalition of developing nations spanning Asia, Africa, Central and South America, which has expanded to include over 130 member states. This year, Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel leads the G77, making it the largest organization within the United Nations.
The final declaration of the G77, along with China, reaffirmed their commitment to fortifying unity and solidarity within the Group to accomplish their objectives and enhance their role in the present global landscape. The declaration restated their longstanding demand for a more equitable international economic and social order, emphasizing that this can only be achieved by ending the technological dominance of developed countries. Expressing deep concern about the challenges faced by developing nations, the declaration called upon all countries to actively coordinate and cooperate in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals.