20 February 2015 – After chairing the Asia-Pacific Group in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 2014, the Philippines was elected Chair of the Group of 77 (G77) and China in UNESCO for 2015 on February 17.

Philippine Ambassador to France and Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Maria Theresa P. Lazaro was elected at a plenary of the G77 and China held at UNESCO Headquarters.

Ambassador Lazaro conveyed her deep appreciation for the confidence G77 members have in the Philippines to steer the Group during an important year for the international community.

She also thanked the outgoing Chair, Ambassador Ahmad Sayyad of Yemen, for his leadership.

Ambassador Lazaro vowed to work closely with all teh Group’s members. She underscored the importance of promoting the interests of developing countries in UNESCO and in the post-2015 sustainable development agenda.

In particular, she highlighted that the Group could send a strong message against violence, extremism, and terrorism by “firmly promoting a culture of peace, non-discrimination, and intercultural and interreligious cooperation.”

The Philippines aims for the G77 and China to play an active and meaningful role in UNESCO, in cooperation with other Groups and the UNESCO Secretariat. “Let us all stand together in solidarity and work in a spirit of common purpose for developing countries,” Ambassador Lazaro concluded. 

G77 and China is a collective grouping of developing countries that was founded in Geneva in 1964 during the first United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. From the original 77 members, this number has now expanded to 134. The main aim of the Group is to improve the living standards of people in the developing world. Aside from Paris, it has chapters in Geneva, Nairobi, New York, Rome and Vienna. END