13 January 201 – The Philippines welcomed the assumption of Ambassador Modest Mero of Tanzania as the new Chair of the G77 and China (Geneva Chapter).

“For the Philippines, the Nairobi Maafikiano outcome revitalizes and strengthens the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and it is a realization of a main goal that we set for ourselves before heading to Nairobi last July 2016. It reaffirmed our core principles, reflected our key interests, and set out a bold new agenda for the organization,” said Chargé d’affaires Maria Teresa T. Almojuela of the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in Geneva. 

Chargé d’affaires Almojuela congratulated Ambassador Mero and commended the role played by G77 and China in the long and difficult negotiations of the Nairobi Maafikiano or the Nairobi Action Plan which serves as the mandate of UNCTAD for the next four years. 

The Philippines managed to ensure the inclusion of issues important to the country such as policy space; Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs); gender empowerment, technology transfer, tax avoidance and tax evasion.

Ambassador Tehmina Janjua of Pakistan also assumed as the Vice-Chair of the G77 and China – Geneva Chapter.

The G77 and China is the largest intergovernmental organization composed of developing countries.  The group aims to provide the countries of the South an avenue to express and promote its collective economic interests and enhance its negotiating capability on all major international economic issues within the United Nations, as well as promote South-South cooperation for development. END