BREAKING NEWS

Abbas in New York at U.N. headquarters for G77 bloc 'hand-over' ceremony

JANUARY 15, 2019 17:17

Updated: JANUARY 15, 2019 17:24

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is in New York for the formal UN ceremony, in which Egypt will hand over chairmanship of Group 77 and China, the largest bloc of member states to the state of Palestine.

Palestine is not a member state of the UN, but the UN has awarded it de-facto membership by considering it a non-member state.

The Group of 77 has recognized Palestine as a member state since 1976. But the UN had to upgrade the Palestinian status at the UN so that it could chair the group of developing countries.

We congratulate @Palestine_UN on assuming the 2019 Chairmanship of the Group of 77. South Africa pledges it’s unwavering support to the #Palestinian cause. #G77 pic.twitter.com/e8bvrvdRXm
— South African Mission to UN (@SAMissionNY) January 15, 2019

For the Palestinians Tuesday's G77 hand-over ceremony is one more small step toward broader international recognition of statehood.

Those who will speak include: Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Hassan Shoukry, Abbas, GA President María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés and UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, followed by statements from chairs of UN groups of member states.

"We're ready to lead the #G77 group," says Palestinian Foreign Ministry in a statement ahead of today's handover ceremony to President Mahmoud Abbas at @UN https://t.co/vNemKuWNo9 #StateofPalestine @UNISPAL @Palestine_UN
— Palestine in the UK (@PalMissionUK) January 15, 2019