Madam Deputy Secretary General,

1. I have the honour to make the following remarks on behalf of the Group of 77 and China.

2. The Group attaches great significance to learning opportunities to promote decent work.

3. The Group believes that access to learning opportunities including through the digital platforms and technologies have acquired special significance during the times of the Pandemic.

4. We would like to reiterate the need to avoid duplication and promote synergies within the UN system.

5. In this regard, the Group is pleased to note that the Transforming Education Summit includes UNESCO. We further encourage for increasing inter-agencies coordination to make the Summit a success.

6. The Group would once again reiterate the need for the Summit to be inclusive in terms of member states’ participating. It should also be led by the member states.

7. We suggest that the summit should focus on: digital learning, access to quality education and lifelong learning opportunities, closing digital divide among countries, obstacles to education ranging from poverty to lack of infrastructure, accessible and inclusive education for everyone, including the girl child, children with disabilities and children living in rural areas.

Madam Deputy Secretary General,

8. The Group emphasizes the need for equitable geographical representation for the preparation as well as convening of the Summit, especially for the proposed Summit Advisory Committee and the Steering Committee.

9. The Group also requests for further clarity with regards to the proposal for participation of core international agencies, education champions and education stakeholder in the Summit Advisory Committee.

10. In this regard, the Group would like to highlight that such multi-stakeholder participation should also maintain balance between representation from the Global North and the Global South.

I thank you.