Group of 77

Group of 77. The Group of 77 is a coalition of developing countries that was established on June 15, 1964, by seventy-seven signatory countries, including Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, and Vietnam. The formation of the Group of 77 was a significant event in the history of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), which was established in 1964 by the United Nations General Assembly. The Group of 77 has played a crucial role in promoting the interests of developing countries in international trade and economic negotiations, including the Doha Development Round and the WTO Ministerial Conference.

● History

The Group of 77 was formed in response to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) held in Geneva in 1964, which was attended by representatives from Afghanistan, Angola, Bolivia, Cambodia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Ghana, Guatemala, Haiti, Iraq, Jamaica, Kenya, Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Myanmar, Nepal, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Venezuela, Yemen, and Zambia. The Group of 77 has since become a major player in international trade and economic negotiations, including the G20, G8, OECD, WTO, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The Group of 77 has also worked closely with other international organizations, such as the World Bank, UNDP, FAO, WHO, and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

● Membership

The Group of 77 has a total of 134 member states, including Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Botswana, Brunei, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, Chile, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Côte d'Ivoire, Djibouti, Dominica, El Salvador, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Georgia, Grenada, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Honduras, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, North Korea, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Micronesia, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, New Zealand, Oman, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, São Tomé and Principe, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Sint Maarten, Solomon Islands, South Sudan, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Tajikistan, Timor-Leste, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Turkmenistan, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United States, Uzbekistan, Vanuatu, and the State of Palestine. The Group of 77 also has several observer countries, including Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, and the Vatican City.

● Objectives

The primary objectives of the Group of 77 are to promote the economic interests of its member states, particularly in the areas of trade, investment, and development. The Group of 77 aims to strengthen the negotiating capacity of its member states in international trade and economic negotiations, including the WTO, IMF, and the World Bank. The Group of 77 also seeks to promote South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue on issues such as poverty reduction, sustainable development, and climate change. The Group of 77 has worked closely with other international organizations, such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Health Organization (WHO), and the International Labour Organization (ILO).

● Structure

The Group of 77 is headed by a Chairman of the Group of 77, who is elected by the member states for a one-year term. The current Chairman of the Group of 77 is Guyana. The Group of 77 also has a number of specialized agencies and programs, including the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the South Centre. The Group of 77 has a secretariat based in United Nations Headquarters in New York City, which is responsible for coordinating the activities of the Group of 77 and providing technical assistance to its member states.

● Activities

The Group of 77 is actively engaged in a range of activities, including trade negotiations, investment promotion, and development cooperation. The Group of 77 has played a key role in promoting the interests of its member states in international trade and economic negotiations, including the Doha Development Round and the WTO Ministerial Conference. The Group of 77 has also worked closely with other international organizations, such as the World Bank, IMF, and the International Labour Organization (ILO), to promote sustainable development and poverty reduction in its member states. The Group of 77 has also been actively engaged in promoting South-South cooperation and North-South dialogue on issues such as climate change, energy security, and food security. The Group of 77 has participated in several international conferences and summits, including the United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20), the G20 Summit, and the WTO Ministerial Conference.