UN chief hails 'historic' moment as Palestine takes over reins of G77

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the "historic leadership" of Palestine which assumed the chairmanship of G77, the global body's largest intergovernmental organisation of developing countries including India.

Egypt was the previous Chair of the Group of 77 (G77), a coalition of 134 members, along with China which aligns itself with the bloc.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Syed Akbaruddin Tuesday wished Palestine success, saying "India is privileged to stand up for the global South's quest for greater equity and justice".

In his remarks at the annual ceremony for handover of the rotating chairmanship of G77, UN chief Guterres said: "Palestine and its citizens have first-hand experience of some of the most challenging and dramatic global issues we face".

The decision to elect Palestine as the 2019 Chair of the G77 was taken in September, 2018 by the foreign ministers of the Groups' member states.

A month later, the UN General Assembly approved a ...