Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry arrived in New York on Monday to participate in the handover of the presidency ceremony of the Group 77 and China to Palestine, according to the ministry’s spokesperson Ahmed Hafez.
Shoukry will deliver an opening speech during the meeting of the group on Tuesday at the UN headquarters, in the presence of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the UN General Assembly for the 73rd session, María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, as well as the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterich.
Palestine formally assumed the chairmanship for the year 2019, following Egypt which chaired the group in 2018.
Egypt’s presidency for the Group of 77 and China over the past years was its third time in history, and was an extension for the pioneering role played by Egypt at the level of developing countries, according to the statement.
Hafez added that the group was the largest negotiating forum on behalf of developing countries within the UN, which aimed to strengthen the economic and developmental interests of these states.
The name ‘The Group of 77 and China’ came as the group was initially formed by 77 founding members of the UN, while China participates but is not a member. The number of participating member states has expanded to 134 by November 2013. The coalition aims to promote its members’ collective economic interests.
