4 July 2016, Geneva, Switzerland - A Framework of Cooperation between the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the Group of Fifteen (G-15), a grouping of developing countries focused on South-South cooperation, was signed on 4th July, 2016 in Geneva.
Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Chairman of the Personal Representatives of the Heads of State and Government of the G-15 and the Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the United Nations in Geneva signed the Agreement on behalf of the G-15 while Mr. Nikhil Seth, United Nations Assistant Secretary-General and Executive Director, signed on behalf of UNITAR.
The Group of Fifteen (G-15), a Summit level organisation of developing countries from Asia, Africa and Latin America and the Caribbean, currently chaired by Sri Lanka has taken an initiative to expand the dialogue between developing countries and Geneva based International Organisations regarding the Post-2015 development Agenda. The year 2015 is considered as a milestone in human development with the United Nations scheduled to endorse the future global development framework that will succeed the Millennium Development Goals (MDG’s) formulated in the year 2000.
The Group of Fifteen (G-15) with South Centre held a consultation on 'Post-2015 Development Agenda through the Perspectives of Geneva based International Organisations' at the UN Geneva on 30 April 2015. The half day meeting was aimed at having an interactive consultation between developing countries and Geneva based International Organisations on the Post 2015 Development Agenda, focusing on the 'social pillar', in the key areas of Poverty & Inequality, Migration, Labour, Food Security, Health, and Education.
Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha has said, in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Global South must continue to reflect on 'how' development is done, not just 'what' is done.
He made this observation, when in his capacity as and Chairman of the Personal Representatives of G-15 , together with Executive Director of the South Centre Dr. Martin Khor, he initiated a joint consultation by the South Centre and the Group of Fifteen (G-15) on 'The state of play of the Post-2015 Development Agenda and potential opportunities for the Global South'.
On 26 November 2014, during the 105th Session of the Council of the International Organization for Migration in Geneva, Ms. Samantha Jayasuriya, Chargé d’Affaires of the Sri Lanka Mission in Geneva delivered the Group of Fifteen’s (G-15) Joint Statement on behalf of Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and Chairman of the Personal Representatives of the G-15. In the statement, she drew attention to the positive impact of international migration flows in the development of countries of origin, transit and destination. In addition, she highlighted international migration should be incorporated to the global economic discourse and development paradigm, given its cross-cutting and multidimensional reality involving all areas of human rights, labor, health, economy and education.
Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and Chairman of the Personal Representatives of the Group of Fifteen (G-15), has urged all WSIS+10 stakeholders to play a greater role in ensuring the inclusiveness of information society. He particularly drew attention to “the emergence of a new digital divide, especially in terms of quality of ICT infrastructure, broadband access, affordability and digital content, particularly in low-income countries, and stressed that it was “extremely important that the overall review of WSIS processes gives highest priority to the challenges in a balanced and equitable manner.”
Ambassador Aryasinha made these observations when he delivered a joint statement at the High Level Meeting of WSIS+10 (World Summit on Information Society) at CICG in Geneva on 11 June, 2014, on behalf of G-15, a Summit Level Group of Developing Countries comprising 17 member States - Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and Chairman of the Personal Representatives of the Group of Fifteen (G-15), has urged WIPO to play a greater role in promoting the understanding and adoption of Intellectual Property policies and laws in member countries, respecting their different levels of development. He said that “WIPO’S activities should be supportive of the development goals agreed with the UN System” and “Accordingly, WIPO should be required to play a proactive role to support national scientific and technological capability; foster access to knowledge and explore all possible mechanisms for innovation to effectively promote development".
Ambassador Aryasinha made these observations when he delivered a joint statement at the 13th Session of Committee on Development and Intellectual Property (CDIP) at WIPO in Geneva on 19 May, 2014 on behalf of G-15, a Summit Level Group of Developing Countries comprising 17 member States - Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva and Chair of the Personal Representatives of G-15 Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, recalling the active role played by Dr. Gamini Corea in reinforcing unity among nations of the Global South and their position in multilateral negotiations, said Dr. Corea’s “legacy and intellectual prophecy continues to inspire international institutions such as the South Centre, as well as cross regional groups of nations such as G-15, to continue to strive and work tirelessly for a more equitable and just world order”.
Ambassador Aryasinha made these observations when he addressed a half-day special Tribute seminar, organized by the South Centre with support from the Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka, in commemoration of the life and intellectual legacy of Dr. Gamani Corea (Former UNCTAD Secretary-General and South Centre Board Chair), was held on 20 March 2014 at the United Nations in Geneva.
Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and Chairman of the Personal Representatives of the Group of Fifteen (G-15) has said the group recognizes the need to address international migration in a holistic and comprehensive manner, premised on the developmental paradigm of migration that is sensitive to the national circumstances of countries of origin, transit and destination and one that seeks to maximize the mutually beneficial nature of international migration while reducing its negative effects. He said the G-15 was committed to work together at both the regional and international level for the protection of migrants, and believed that the IOM should continue to play a lead role in discussions relating to the post-2015 development agenda on issues concerning migration.
Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and Chairman of the Personal Representatives of the Group of Fifteen (G-15), has urged WIPO to take measures to promote South-South Cooperation in the field of Intellectual Property for Development. He said that “WIPO should act as a catalyst to increase triangular cooperation between developing countries and LDC’s, through initiatives to identify best practices in the use of intellectual property for, inter alia, technology transfer, public health, food security, and other global challenges in which intellectual property has an important role to play".
The G-15 foreign ministers, meeting on the side-lines of the General Assembly last week (27 September 2013), renewed their commitment for enhanced engagement and cooperation among themselves, as well as with the relevant Geneva-based institutions. Their primary focus was on newly emerging areas of cooperation in step with the evolving post-2015 development agenda, and they agreed to expand cooperation in four new thematic areas – information communication technology, intellectual property, migration for development and renewable energy. The Group includes Algeria, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jamaica, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, Nigeria, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Venezuela and Zimbabwe.
H.E. Mr. Ravinatha Aryasinha, Chair of Personal Representatives/Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka delivered the Joint Statement on behalf of the Group of Fifteen (G-15) at the 60th Session of the UNCTAD held on 16 September 2013.
The Group observed that although globalization continues to serve as a powerful driver for strengthening cooperation and accelerating growth and development, it also presents risks and challenges, especially to the developing countries. The Group highlighted the critical role of UNCTAD to help reduce and eventually eliminate the trade gap between the developed and developing countries and to accelerate the rate of economic growth of the developing world. The Group commended UNCTAD for its incisive and independent economic research on global economic issues and encouraged UNCTAD to continue to support developing countries in their efforts to design and implement comprehensive, integrated and coherent national trade and development strategies and movement in the value chain.
Hon. Mr. Mahinda Yapa AbeywardenaLeader of the Sri Lankan delegation, Minister for Agriculture
Hon. Mr. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Minister for Agriculture delivered a Joint statement on behalf of the Group of Fifteen (G-15) at the 38th Session of the Food and Agriculture Conference held in Rome from 15-22 June 2013.
The Group expressed concern that despite the hard earned progress towards promoting agriculture and attempts to ensure food security and nutrition, the recurring fears of global slow-down of economic growth and volatility of food prices together with other challenges as, inter alia, climate change, are hampering the full achievement of MDGs in many developing countries. The Group highlighted the important role of agriculture trade in achieving food security and nutrition, in particular in developing countries, and also highlighted the negative effects of trade barriers and trade-distorting subsidies of developed countries. The Group emphasized that international trade system should continue, under the Doha Round agricultural Mandate, with the reform process in agriculture initiated in the Uruguay Round.
Hon. Gamini Lokuge, Minister of Labour and Labour Relations delivered a Joint statement on behalf of the Group of Fifteen (G-15) at the 102nd International Labour Conference on 12th June 2013 in Geneva. The Group of Fifteen raised their concern that the continuing global financial crisis resulting in uncertain economic outlook, aggravated unemployment and rising poverty levels, is hampering ongoing efforts towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in many developing countries particularly in Asia and Africa.
Welcoming the participants of the G15 Workshop on Best Practices in Renewable Energies held in Dakar, Senegal from 5-7 November 2012 Ambassador Ravinatha Aryasinha, Sri Lanka's Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva and Chairman of the Personal Representatives of the Group of Fifteen, recalled the establishment of the Group of Fifteen (G15) and its Summits as a demonstration of solidarity to discuss a wide range of global economic, social and political issues, particularly those affecting the welfare of the people inhabiting the developing world. He also highlighted that an important endeavour of the Group of Fifteen has been to implement South-South cooperation projects in member countries which could bring direct benefits to the people. He believed that the Workshop on Renewable Energies, as a part of G-15 technical cooperation projects which have been implemented by the Group, will also achieve its objective of enhancing the skills, knowledge and technical capabilities of all the participants.
Professor Peiris chaired the thirty fifth meeting of the Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Group of 15 (G-15) in New York on 27 September 2012. Observing that the meeting is taking place at a critical juncture when the strength of the world economy is shifting towards the developing world and an increasing number of these countries are turning to South-South cooperation to overcome their difficulties and challenges, the Minister expressed the belief that engagement among member states would advance the common cause of the G-15 as well as the wider community of developing countries. Minister Peiris welcomed the fact that the Group is well on the path to regeneration and revival, a process that was given direction and momentum at the meeting of the High Level Task Force for the Review and Revitalization of the Group, held in Colombo.
Important Links