What is the Group of
77?
Establishment:
The Group of 77 (G-77) was established on 15 June 1964 by
seventy-seven developing countries signatories of the "Joint
Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Countries" issued at the end of the
first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and
Development (UNCTAD) in Geneva. Beginning with the first Ministerial
Meeting of the Group of 77 in Algiers in 1967 which adopted the
Charter of Algiers, a permanent institutional structure gradually
developed which led to the creation of Chapters of the Group of 77 in
Rome (FAO), Vienna (UNIDO), Paris (UNESCO), Nairobi (UNEP) and the
Group of 24 in Washington, D.C. (IMF and World Bank). Although the
membership of the G-77 has increased to 132 countries, the original
name was retained because of its historic significance.
Aims
As the largest Third World coalition in the United Nations, the Group
of 77 provides the means for the developing world to articulate and
promote its collective economic interests and enhance its joint
negotiating capacity on all major international economic issues in the
United Nations system, and promote economic and technical cooperation
among developing countries (ECDC/TCDC).
Structure
The organization and modalities of work of the G-77 in the various
Chapters have certain minimal features in common such as a similarity
in membership, decision-making and certain operating methods. The
Group's work in each Chapter is coordinated by a chairman who acts as
its spokesman. The chairmanship rotates on a regional basis (between
Africa, Asia, and Latin America and the Caribbean) and is held for one
year in all the Chapters. Currently Jamaica holds the Chairmanship of
the Group of 77 in New York for the year 2005.
The Ministerial Meeting is the supreme decision-making body of the
Group of 77. They are convened annually at the beginning of the
regular sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations in New
York and periodically in preparation for UNCTAD sessions and the
General Conferences of UNIDO and UNESCO. Special Ministerial Meetings
are also called as needed such as on the occasion of the Group's 25th
anniversary (Caracas, June 1989) and 30th anniversary (New York, June
1994). In April 2000 the Group of 77 met for the first time at the
level of heads of state or government which therefore elevated
decision-making within the Group of 77 to the highest political level.
The Chairmanship is the highest political institution within the
organizational structure of the Group of 77.
The Intergovernmental Follow-up and Coordination Committee on Economic
Cooperation among Developing Countries (IFCC) is a plenary body
consisting of senior officials which meets once every two years to
review the state of implementation of the Caracas Programme of Action
(CPA) adopted by the Group of 77 in 1981. The IFCC was last convened
in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran, in August 2001. Subsidiary
structures created to support the CPA include, among others, the Core
of Assistants to the Chairman of the Group of 77, the Committee of
Experts of the Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund (PGTF) for ECDC/TCDC, the
General Conference and Steering Committee of Chambers of Commerce and
Industry of the Group of 77, Action Committees, and National Focal
Points for ECDC.
Finance
The activities of the Group of 77 are financed through
contributions by Member States and other developing countries.
Activities
Produces joint declarations, action programmes and agreements on
specific topic such as Algiers Charter in1967; Lima Declaration in
1971; Manila Declaration in 1976; Arusha Programme for Self-Reliance
and Framework for Negotiations in 1979; Caracas Programme of Action on
ECDC in 1981; Cairo Declaration on ECDC in 1986; Havana Declaration in
1987; Agreement on a Global System of Trade Preferences among
Developing Countries (GSTP) in 1988; Caracas Declaration in 1989;
Tehran Declaration in 1991; 30th Anniversary Ministerial Declaration
in 1994; Ministerial Statement on "An Agenda for Development" in1994;
San Jose Declaration and Plan of Action on South-South Trade,
Investment and Finance in 1997; Bali Declaration and Plan of Action on
Regional and Subregional Economic Cooperation of the Developing
Countries in 1998; Havana Programme of Action adopted by the South
Summit in 2000; and Tehran Consensus adopted by IFCC-X in 2001.
Makes statements, sponsors and negotiates resolutions and decisions at
global conferences and other meetings held under the aegis of the
United Nations dealing with international economic cooperation and
development.
Sponsors projects on ECDC/TCDC in developing countries through funding
from the Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund.
Publications
Journal of the Group of 77, periodical newsletter published in
English.
The Third World without Superpowers: The Collected Works of the Group
of 77 (20 volumes), 1983-. Oceana Publications, Dobbs Ferry, New York.
Guide to ECDC: Supplement to the ECDC Handbook, 1983.
Economic and Technical Cooperation among Developing
Countries: the Group of 77 in Action, 2 vols., 1984.
Raul Prebisch: Obras, 1919-1949, vols. III and IV, 1994. Published in
cooperation with the Raul Prebisch Foundation (Argentina) with
financial support from the Perez- Guerrero Trust Fund.
30 Years of the Group of 77 (1964-1994), 1994. South Centre
publications, Geneva.
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