GENEVA, Jan 21: Pakistan has assumed the chairmanship of the G-77 and China for 2006. The G-77, a group comprising 134 developing countries, forms the largest bloc in the UN system.

Ambassador Masood Khan, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN in Geneva, assumed chairmanship of G-77 and China for the year 2006 at a ceremony held at the UN’s European office in Geneva.

In a statement after assuming the chairmanship, Masood Khan said the chairmanship provided an opportunity to represent the developing countries’ perspective on important issues pertaining to international economic and trading system.

The outgoing chairman, ambassador Antoine Mindua Kesia of the Dernocratic Republic of Congo commended Pakistan’s consistent record of providing leadership to developing countries at the UN. He expressed the confidence that the Group would be strengthened and united under the leadership of Ambassador Khan.—APP