BAKU, Azerbaijan, February 10. The first plenary meeting of the G-77 and China Group for 2026 was held at UNESCO headquarters under the chairmanship of Azerbaijan, Trend reports.
UNESCO Director-General Khaled Al-Anani attended the event as the main guest speaker.
At the opening of the plenary session, Ambassador Elman Abdullayev, Azerbaijan’s Permanent Representative to UNESCO, expressed his gratitude to the members of the group for the trust they had placed in him. He emphasized that, during Azerbaijan's chairmanship, the interests of the Global South would take a prominent place on UNESCO's agenda, with an enriched scope of activities for the Group and enhanced coordination among its member states. The Permanent Representative also highlighted the critical importance of reinforcing the multilateral system, solidarity, and cooperation within the UN framework, especially in the face of international and regional challenges. Furthermore, he underscored that the Group of 77 and China serve as vital platforms in the domains of education, science, culture, communication, and information, as well as for issues related to Africa’s priorities, small island developing states, and youth.
In his address at the event chaired by Azerbaijan, UNESCO Director-General Khaled El-Enany remarked that the initiative, launched as part of UNESCO's 80th anniversary celebrations, aims to strengthen multilateralism, solidarity, and the core mission of the organization in the fields of peace, education, science, culture, and communication. He emphasized the significance of conducting inclusive and transparent consultations with member states throughout the reform process.
As part of the plenary session, congratulations were extended to the newly appointed permanent representatives, their agendas were adopted, and discussions were held on the UNESCO-80 initiative and the Group's activities.
Azerbaijan's chairmanship of the G-77 and China Group once again demonstrates our country's growing role in international organizations, especially UNESCO, and its contribution to global dialogue and solidarity.
