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.