UN80 Initiative must address concerns of developing countries, says Group of Friends of Global Governance

The UN80 Initiative must address the concerns of developing countries, which make up two-thirds of UN membership, according to a statement delivered by Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, on Thursday.

On behalf of the newly established Group of Friends of Global Governance, Fu delivered the statement during a UN General Assembly briefing on the initiative.

"The UN80 Initiative comes at a moment when the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation," according to the statement.

The statement said the goal of the initiative should reflect the aspirations of the vast majority of UN member states – upholding multilateralism, strengthening the United Nations, safeguarding international rule of law, and improving global governance, according to the statement.

The UN80 Initiative is a wide-ranging reform effort launched on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the UN's founding.

In the statement, the group highlighted three key points: the initiative must focus on improving both the effectiveness and efficiency of the UN's work; it must address the concerns of developing countries; and its process must remain transparent and inclusive.

"In order to make it better fit for today's challenges, the UN needs adaptation, revitalization, and strengthening," the group said, adding that to this end, the world body needs to reduce duplication, eliminate overlap and improve efficiency. It also needs to enhance its agility, responsiveness, and resilience, and better deliver.

Warning that two-thirds of the Sustainable Development Goals are lagging, the statement underscored that development is the top priority for developing countries, and that reform of the development pillar must take into account the vast needs and challenges of these countries.

"Mechanisms and resources should prioritize development and support the 2030 Agenda including through capacity building," it said, highlighting the principle of equitable geographical representation, and developing countries' representation and voice.

The statement emphasized that the UN is an intergovernmental organization, and its member states should play the central role and participate on an equal footing in the UN80 process and across all its workstreams.

"The Group of Friends of Global Governance stands ready to work with all parties in advancing the UN80 Initiative in a direction that supports a more just and equitable global governance system, strengthens the UN for the long term, and serves the common interests of all Member States," it said.

The Group of Friends of Global Governance was officially established at the UN headquarters in New York on Tuesday.