3rd South Summit: Nepal stresses enhancing South-South cooperation in trade, investment

KATHMANDU: Leader of Nepali delegation, Foreign Secretary Sewa Lamsal, addressed the Third South Summit of the Group of 77 and China on Sunday. The summit took place in Kampala, the capital city of the Republic of Uganda, under the theme of 'Leaving No One Behind.'

The Republic of Uganda hosted the Third South Summit of the Group of 77 and China on January 21 and 22, 2024. The summit brought together more than 134 countries on a single platform to enhance South-South cooperation in areas such as sustainable development, climate change, trade, and investment, according to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The opening segment of the summit featured statements from Dennis Francis, President of the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

In her address, Foreign Secretary Lamsal reiterated Nepal's support for the Group of 77 and China in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Paris Agreement, and other Internationally Agreed Development Goals, including the Doha Program of Action. She expressed Nepal's strong commitment to fostering solidarity, harmony, and cooperation among countries of the Global South.

The Foreign Secretary @sewa_lamsal of Nepal addressed the Third South Summit of the Group of 77 and China #G77ChinaSummitUg

Follow the threads below for highlights of the statement 👇👇👇 pic.twitter.com/PtfwktlzBH

— MOFA of Nepal 🇳🇵 (@MofaNepal) January 21, 2024

She emphasised the importance of deeper cooperation in addressing global challenges such as the Covid 19 pandemic, inequality, debt distress, conflicts, climate change, and geopolitical rivalry. On a positive note, she highlighted that the Global South is emerging as an economic powerhouse, contributing to more than half of the world's growth.

"With 134 member countries comprising over two-thirds of UN members and 80% of the global population, the Group of 77 and China is a force to be reckoned with," said Foreign Secretary Lamsal. "Together, we can deliver better and greater."

Foreign Secretary Lamsal urged the Group to play an instrumental role in decision-making and norm-setting in global development and financial architecture. She also called on the Members to collaborate in making multilateralism more inclusive, innovative, and responsive to the needs of developing countries.

While calling for the fulfilment of promises and commitments made by developed countries in terms of Official Development Assistance (ODA), climate financing, and technology transfer, she underscored the importance of strengthening North-South, South-South, and Triangular Cooperation by focusing on the needs of LDCs in trade, infrastructure, and productive capacity.

In the afternoon, Foreign Secretary Lamsal attended a luncheon hosted by the President of the Republic of Uganda in honour of the heads of delegations to the Third Summit of the Group of 77 and China.

The summit will conclude today with the adoption of the 'Outcome Document'.