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OPED: The G 77 Summit in Santa Cruz – a Game Changer?

VIENNA, Jun 12 2014 (IPS) - As the Group of 77, celebrates its 50th anniversary this month, the largest single coalition of developing nations remains ever more relevant today than it was when it was founded in 1964.

But the Group, which comprises 132 countries plus China, needs a fresh thrust to work towards delivering on the aspirations of the global South.

The 50th anniversary meeting in Santa Cruz Bolivia, scheduled for June 14-15, was preceded last month by a meeting in Algeria under the auspices of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) under the chairmanship of Algeria’s Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra.

The highlight of the Joint Coordination Committee meeting of NAM and G 77- Commemorative Event was a communique jointly issued by the Presidents of NAM Ministerial Conference and the G 77, and signed by the Chairs of G 77 Chapters.

Other than its focus on the substantive aspects of importance to G-77, the discussion was intellectually stimulating. It was part of a learning trajectory for most of those who attended, especially in its historical sense.

In what he called was an “exercise in nostalgia” Lakhdar Brahimi went down memory lane, tracing the genesis of Afro-Asian Solidarity, which led to the establishment of NAM, and which, he said, had also inspired the idea of G 77.

Two points he made struck the audience most:

Firstly, the movement for South solidarity needed a fresh push required to put us on the frontline of global action.

Secondly, the G-77 and the NAM have not produced sufficient new ideas – rather innovative ideas – in recent times, the way they did during the 1970’s or 1980’s.

Madam Nkosozana Dlamini Zuma, Chairperson of the African Commission, identified certain challenges which are chronic, sometimes systemic, but changing that would not be inconceivable provided that there is leadership, commitment and strong action, strengthened by political will and resources:

These related to youth empowerment, agricultural development and access to market, access to, and equitable enjoyment of, benefits from natural resources, and connectivity within the continent and between continents.

All these, in effect, would call into question the appropriateness of the ongoing multilateral exercises, which we, G 77, have embarked on: Are we really doing enough to advance a common agenda?

If we are, are we doing enough to ensure action on what we adopt as common positions? And without compromising, individually, including through other forms of concessions?

A specific question is in order. Given our working methods within the Group of 77 today, how certain are we that, on whatever might seem to achieve the broadest possible ‘agreement’ following often protracted negotiations, there will be no ‘vetoing’ of it by one or a few within the Group?

I mean ‘denying’ intra-group consensus just about the time before moving to the UN General Assembly for action?

If, as Brahimi said, the movement for solidarity needed a push, it was, I think, perhaps also for this reason. Even an answer to this conundrum seems to lie in the domain of what he mentioned as “New Ideas”.

While we try to narrow down the differences, if any, that may exist within, it may be appropriate to find new arguments, to produce new ideas, to construct new approaches which could bring us together. Cookie-cutter approaches to sometimes highly complex or sensitive issues are now out of vogue.

We may identify areas that may hardly defy the call for unity, to consolidate and project shared positions, including youth, women and children, South-South Dialogue and Cooperation, equitable and resilient, economic and industrial development, control of our natural resources, market access, poverty eradication, right to development, ICT, reforming of international financial architecture, among many others.

Under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka demonstrated last month that by hosting the World Conference on Youth, it was possible to bring political leaders, youth and other stakeholders on a unified platform to achieve an outcome conducive to the development of youth in the Post-2015 era.

The call for “UN Youth Skills Day” – Sri Lanka has a national one already- was among several proposals that came out of this Conference.

There are several other important priorities, some of which we, as the largest group in the South, are already focusing on. South-South Cooperation has the potential to address much of it, if not all.

Taking youth and South-South Cooperation together, it is timely that we, in the South, demonstrated our commitment, including through Youth Development Scholarships or Fellowships. Why not a G 77 – 50th Anniversary Youth Skills Development Scheme?

An important priority which should goad us into action was highlighted by the Finance Minister of Algeria Abdelaziz Khalef, namely the reform of the global financial architecture. He even suggested the possibility of clamouring collectively and vigorously for a new financial world order.

That indeed is a point for reflection. But the larger question still remains open: are we at least strong enough on matters other than those of a very substantive nature where, however, some policy differences may have been observed.

This brings home to us, the need for revitalizing the G-77 in such a way that it remains not only a deliberative body of the developing countries, but one that is outcome-enabling. And when an outcome is adopted, it is action – enabling.

Having a heavy body is one thing, but it needs to have feet strong enough to support it. It is here that we see the relevance of revitalizing G-77 and improving the working methods of the Group. The right opportunity comes in Santa Cruz.

* Ambassador A.L.A. Azeez is the chair of the Group of 77 in Vienna

 
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