Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of UNITAR - a G77/UNITAR event

Distinguished Prime Minister of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria
Distinguished Prime Minister of Jamaica
Distinguished Speakers
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen
Dear Friends:

I am very pleased to welcome you all to the Palais des Nations to mark the 50th anniversary of UNITAR, a key member of our United Nations family, and to mark the new collaboration with the G-77.

First of all, a warm congratulations to UNITAR on the first 50 years, from all your United Nations family colleagues. The Institute plays an important role in training and in capacity-building. We appreciate our collaboration and look forward to continuing this – hopefully for the next 50 years!

I am pleased to see the G-77 and UNITAR team up in the celebrations of the 50th anniversary today. No doubt this partnership will continue to grow. On behalf of the United Nations in Geneva, I thank the Prime Minister of Algeria, the Prime Minister of Jamaica and all members of the G-77 for the commitment to the work of our Organization.

Many of those who over the years have benefited from UNITAR’s services are delegates of G-77 countries. We in turn benefit from a very active G-77 presence in Geneva, engaged across our agenda. I thank Ambassador Carbo as the Geneva G-77 chair and all the G-77 countries present here, for their deep belief in multilateralism and their deep involvement in the work of the United Nations. This is part of what makes Geneva such an interesting and vibrant multilateral platform.

The United Nations and the G-77 are united in the commitment to building a world where all individuals can fulfill their potential. Capacity-building is essential in this task and this is where UNITAR’s work is particularly valuable, providing the skills and expertise needed for inclusive global deliberations and decision-making.

For its part, the G-77 has been instrumental in bringing poverty eradication, sustainable development and empowerment of the most vulnerable to the top of the political agenda. As we move towards shaping the post-2015 development framework, we will continue to need strong voices in favour of these objectives. We rely on the commitment of the G-77 in this process, as an advocate for a comprehensive development agenda and as a force for change.

We often talk of living in a world in transformation. And it is true that the world in many areas has changed almost beyond recognition since 1963 – not least with respect to the speed and the means of communication. But, the need for a strong multilateral process, with a strong United Nations at the centre, is unchanged – if not even greater today in a truly interconnected and interdependent world.

We welcome the leadership of the G-77 in maintaining an effective and able United Nations to serve our membership – through UNITAR and all of our United Nations family members.

Once again, congratulations to UNITAR!

Thank you very much.