The G-77 and the United Nations

The United Nations is one of the international forums where countries cooperate in order to advance their common goals. For a single country it may be complicated to defend it’s position in a complex negotiation process,  therefore  countries try to establish formal or informal coalitions based on shared interests. One of  the best known coalitions  at  the UN is the G-77 which unites  developing countries.  

The Group of 77 (G-77) was established on 15 June 1964 by seventy-seven developing countries. Today the  G-77 includes   more than 130 member nations in Africa, Asia and South America.  The major objective  of the G-77 is to promote developing nations’ economic interests and increase their negotiating capacities at the UN system.  As the biggest faction at the UN,  the G-77 is a powerful factor in negotiations on important global issues. The group  is able to block talks or reject resolutions if they are against the interests of group’s  members. For example,  at Rio+ 20 conference, the G-77 pushed back many propositions of  the “Green Agenda”  favoring increased spending on environmental-friendly technologies which poorer countries cannot afford.

The so called “North-South” division still remains prominent at the UN.  For the G-77 countries development is a central objective while the world’s most wealthiest  nations tend to outline other purposes like maintaining international peace or creating “green economies”. The G-77 countries are concerned that  global resources should be diverted towards development. However, the part of  the UN budget spent on issues related  to peace and security  substantially  increased  during the last years while  funding for development and implementation of internationally agreed development goals  remained almost the same.  Sometimes political leaders forget that most conflicts and humanitarian crisis have roots in precarious economic and social conditions, therefore poverty and inequality should be tackled  before it is too late.

Sources:

“Rio +20 must ‘unenvironmentalise’ green issues, says G77 negotiator”, http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/sep/12/rio-20-earth-summit-global-climate-talks

http://www.g77.org/

Irene Martinetti, “UN management reform-the role and perspective of the G77”

http://www.centerforunreform.org/node/271