Statement by

H.E. Mr. Eshagh Ale Habib

Advisor of the Minister of Foreign Affairs

of the Islamic Republic of Iran on the International issues

At the Forty-sixth Annual Meeting of Ministers for Foreign Affairs

of the Group of 77 and China

New York, 23 September 2022

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful.

Mr. Chairman,

At the outset, I would like to express my gratitude to Your Excellency and your esteemed colleagues in the Permanent Mission of Pakistan for your leadership of our Group. I also wish to extend my congratulations to Cuba as the forthcoming Chair of the Group.

The Group of 77 and China, as the largest international coalition of developing countries consisting about three-fourths of the members of the United Nations, is considered as the most influential political-international mechanism of developing countries today. It continues to play a vital role in leading many important processes and trends while positively impacting the decisions and contents of international documents and their implementation. The G77 has always been the most important international actor in the field of rejecting illegal UCMs and unlawful unilateral sanctions, emphasizing the right to development and financing developing countries.

In this regard, developing countries need to promote cooperation among themselves now more than ever. All international and regional capacities and initiatives in this field should be properly utilized in order to strengthen the role of the G77 and China as the most important and efficient international actor.

The undeniable necessities encompassing the achievement of sustainable and inclusive development include the integration of developing countries in the global trade system and increasing their share, filling the income and digital gaps, providing the necessary resources for investment in developing economies and facilitating the transfer of technology as well as technical knowledge. By bearing the importance of these necessities in mind, this Group can pave this path by creating international consensus and coalition among vital issues.

Restricting or blocking the access of developing countries to the international financial and trade systems through illegal measures, including by imposing unilateral coercive measures, would inevitably lead to an increase of poverty and a widening of the income gaps while at the same time violating the right to development, including the right to health and sanitation as well as the right to education. These illegal measures prevent developing countries from reaching a sustainable and inclusive development which ultimately results in the wide-reaching expansion of the cycle of social insecurity and instability.

Mr. Chairman,

For more than four decades, my Country has generously hosted millions of refugees, displaced persons, migrants and foreign aliens, documented or undocumented, in the absence of international support and simultaneously with the harshest unilateral sanctions ever imposed on a Country. In this context, we have provided facilities for their education, nutrition and health without any discrimination. Iran's efforts during the COVID pandemic to vaccinate them reflects the extent of responsibility and firm belief of the Islamic Republic of Iran in creating sustainable development for all nations. The international community, especially developed countries, must accept a proportionate number of refugees on their soil and fulfill their international responsibility in this regard.

The Islamic Republic of Iran has suffered billions of dollars as well as high spiritual costs, including thousands of martyrs and injured, in order to help regional and global security in various fields in the fight against narcotic drugs. In this regard, it is necessary that all countries, including regional and international institutions that benefit from the actions taken by Iran, extend their effective support based on the principle of joint responsibility to prevent the increase of the huge flood of drugs as well as the spread of regional and global insecurity.

Mr. Chairman,

The Group of 77 and China should make maximum use of the capacities of relevant international forums to upgrade the interests and rights of developing countries while defending them in various economic, development and international fields. Greater solidarity of the Group and the strengthening of its mechanisms, as well as the interactive resolution of differences between the countries within the Group, and alignment of the Group’s different positions are necessary for playing efficient and effective role on behalf of the developing countries in international arenas.

Mr. Chairman,

Due to the importance of holding the third meeting of the leaders of the south, it is necessary for the Group to put this important international event of the developing countries of the south on its agenda as soon as possible.

To encourage more effective performance and a more active presence in the thematic areas of climate change, implementation of sustainable development goals, financing for development, access of all countries to technology and international financial resources, removal of obstacles to investment and transfer of financial resources, removing unilateral sanctions, eradication of poverty, reducing the digital divide, increasing the levels of South-South and North-South economic cooperation as well as other areas, the G77 should adopt coherent and integrated planning and policies. In this regard, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready for any cooperation with other members of the Group.

Mr. Chairman,

While we insist that no person should be left behind, at the same time it should be noted that no country should be held back from the development process due to political purposes. Otherwise, repeating "No one should be left behind" will remain an empty promise and a decorative slogan.