Group of 77

Political · G77

The State of Palestine is not a member of the United Nations. It held the chairmanship of this group in New York in 2019 all the same. The founding document is the Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Developing Countries, issued at Geneva on 15 June 1964, and the title counts the signatories of that day: the roster now holds 134.

Questions about G77

What is the Group of 77?

A caucus of developing countries inside the United Nations system, founded by the Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Developing Countries at Geneva on 15 June 1964, at the close of the first session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development. It coordinates positions and issues them as statements and declarations. Its permanent structure dates from the first ministerial meeting, at Algiers from 10 to 25 October 1967, which adopted the Charter of Algiers.

Why is it called the Group of 77 when it has more members than that?

Because the title counts the states that signed the declaration on 15 June 1964 and has never been revised. The group's own account of itself says the original name was retained for its historic significance as the membership grew. The roster now holds 134, and the page above prints that number from the member records rather than from the name.

Is China a member of the Group of 77?

China is on the list of member states the group publishes, and it is named separately from the group in the documents the group issues. Statements go out on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and the summit at Havana on 15 and 16 September 2023 was held under that same double title. In the Washington chapter, the Group of 24 lists China as a special invitee instead.

How does a country join the Group of 77?

There is no treaty to accede to, no charter to sign and no published test of admission, so no joining date can be recorded the way an accession is. A state is a member when the group counts it on the list of member states it publishes. That is also why departures are invisible: Mexico, Cyprus and the Republic of Korea signed the declaration of 1964 and are not on the current list, and no withdrawal is recorded anywhere in the group's documents.

Which member does not hold a seat at the United Nations?

The State of Palestine, which is on the roster and is not a member of the United Nations. It held the chairmanship of the group in New York in 2019. The comparison that makes the point is Western Sahara, which sits in the African Union, holds no United Nations membership either, and is not on this roster.

What does the Group of 77 actually run?

One fund, the Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund for South-South Cooperation, established by General Assembly resolution 38/201 of 20 December 1983 and channelled through the United Nations Development Programme. Applications close on 30 April each year and the maximum support for any one project in 2026 is 35,000 United States dollars. Everything else the group produces is a position: statements, ministerial declarations and the outcome documents of its summits.

Sources

About the Group of 77 · Group of 77. Establishment on 15 June 1964, the Charter of Algiers of 10 to 25 October 1967, the chapters at Geneva, Nairobi, Paris, Rome, Vienna and Washington, the rotation of the chairmanship, the South Summit as supreme decision-making body, and the statement that the original name was retained for its historic significance.
Joint Declaration of the Seventy-Seven Developing Countries · Group of 77. The signatories printed at the head of the text, the date and place of 15 June 1964 at Geneva, and the passage on the unity of the seventy-five.
The Member States of the Group of 77 · Group of 77. The roster this catalogue files, read on 2 September 2026, including China and the State of Palestine and excluding Cyprus, Mexico and the Republic of Korea.
Chairmanship of the Group of 77 in New York · Group of 77. The chairs from 1970 onwards, the terms held by Mexico and by Yugoslavia, the State of Palestine in 2019, Uruguay in 2026, and the move to a calendar-year term in 1987.
Major Documents · Group of 77. The South Summits at Havana in 2000, Doha in 2005 and Kampala on 21 and 22 January 2024, the fiftieth anniversary summit at Santa Cruz de la Sierra on 14 and 15 June 2014, and the Havana summit of the Group of 77 and China of 15 and 16 September 2023.
Statements and Speeches · Group of 77. The standing form of words, on behalf of the Group of 77 and China, and the delivery of each statement by the delegation holding the chair.
About the Perez-Guerrero Trust Fund · Group of 77. General Assembly resolution 38/201 of 20 December 1983, the balance of the United Nations Emergency Operation Trust Fund, the channel through UNDP, the closing date of 30 April, the maximum of 35,000 United States dollars for 2026, and the four working languages.
Contact Information · Group of 77. The published address, Room S-0518 of the United Nations Secretariat Building in New York.
Mandate and History · Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four. Establishment in 1971 by the Group of 77 as one of its chapters, formal creation in 1972, and the extension of its terms of reference in 1976.
G-24 Members · Intergovernmental Group of Twenty-Four. The current member list, which includes Mexico, and the participation of China as a special invitee.
Who are the developing countries in the WTO? · World Trade Organization. The statement that there are no WTO definitions of developed and developing countries, and that members announce for themselves subject to challenge.
Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49) · UN Statistics Division. The statement that the assignment of countries or areas to groupings is for statistical convenience and implies no political affiliation.