Sabbagh stresses need to strengthen cooperation among member states of G77 and China to face the challenges
In a speech before the 3rd South Summit held in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Bassam Sabbagh stressed that the importance of the Group of 77 and China is growing now more than ever, given the unprecedented challenges the world is witnessing.
He indicated that cooperation between the countries of the group is vital to confronting these challenges that hinder the achievement of sustainable development goals, especially in the light of Western countries ignoring many of the group’s concerns.
Sabbagh noted that the Group of 77 and China, which represents two-thirds of the member states of the United Nations, has played an important role on the international arena, and its importance has grown now more than ever, given the economic challenges the world is witnessing.
He said: “Cooperation and solidarity among member states is essential to mobilize the group’s efforts to confront these challenges. The continuation and strengthening of this cooperation and solidarity in the coming period will enable us to continue defending our common interests and achieving more to meet the aspirations of our peoples for progress and prosperity, especially in the light of Western countries ignoring many of the concerns of our group”.
Sabbagh reaffirmed that Syria stresses the necessity of reforming international financial institutions, especially the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund, ensuring the participation of developing countries in decision-making, and providing effective and predictable financing for development purposes to all those who deserve it without politicization.
He emphasized the need to give priority in obtaining financing and international grants to countries that are going through unusual circumstances such as natural disasters and wars.
Syria stresses the importance of strengthening international cooperation in the field of climate action, and providing the necessary assistance to developing countries to mitigate the catastrophic effects of climate change and restore biodiversity, by establishing easy financing mechanisms, developing scientific solutions, and building capabilities, Sabbagh went on to say.
He congratulated the United Arab Emirates over the success it achieved by hosting the 28th Conference of States Parties to the Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28).
He added that Syria also underlines the need to give the issue of water the priority and great attention it deserves and to rationalize the use of water resources, especially in the light of climate challenges and the growing demand for water.
Sabbagh pointed out that Syria appreciates the support of the countries of the G77 and China for its issues at different international forums, especially with regard to the occupied Syrian Golan, through submitting the group’s annual draft resolution on the permanent sovereignty of the Syrian and Palestinian peoples over their natural resources, through calling for the immediate withdrawal of the Israeli occupation from the Syrian Golan, through emphasizing that the Israeli occupation is the main obstacle to achieving sustainable development and a sound economic environment in the region and through calling for an end to Israeli attacks on Syrian infrastructure, including civil airports, which threaten the safety of civil aviation and the lives of passengers, hinder United Nations humanitarian aid operations, and constitute a violation of the United Nations Charter and the principles of international law.
Sabbagh also said that Syria highly appreciates the group’s long-term position against the unilateral, illegal, immoral and inhuman coercive measures imposed on the country and which have had disastrous effects on the daily lives of all Syrians, as they deprived them of their basic needs, and limited the ability of the state’s institutions to strengthen the economy, attract investment, and achieve development.
He indicated that the group’s call for the immediate lifting of these measures requires strengthening efforts to achieve this, especially in the light of the intransigence of the United States and the European Union and their insistence on their wrong policies which are based on putting pressure on peoples who reject their hegemony and cling to their sovereignty, decision-making and national choices.
Sabbagh reaffirmed Syria’s commitment to continue working with all the group’s countries to achieve common goals, stressing the need for the group to have a leading role in preparing for the Future Summit, scheduled to be held next September, as it is an important platform for finding practical solutions that achieve the member countries’ hopes for well-being, prosperity and development.
Rawaa Ghanam