UN General Assembly
2004

fields. Roughly two decades after its inception, on 15 June 1964, to be exact, the Group of 77 was established to express the aspirations of scores of developing countries in Asia, Africa and Latin America to work with each other under the umbrella of the United Nations, with a view to promoting their common economic interests, developing their negotiating capacity regarding various international economic issues and increasing the bonds of their technical cooperation. Just as the United Nations has grown, its membership has increased and the scope of its activity has expanded, so, too, the Group of 77 and China has attracted new members into its membership — which now stands at 132 States, constituting more than two thirds of the membership of the United Nations. Our Group embodies the commitment of the developing countries to the mission of the United Nations and their determination to be guided by the lofty principles enshrined in its Charter. While the ministerial meetings of the Group highlight with utmost certainty its close relationship with the international organizations, the actions of its States