Political Declaration

08/07/2009

July 8, 2009
L’Aquila, Italy

We, the Leaders of the Group of Five (Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa) having
met in L’Aquila, Italy on 8th July, 2009 have decided to issue the following Political
Declaration:

1. We express our solidarity with the victims and their families that were affected last April
by the earthquake in L’Aquila.

2. The global economic crisis in its multiple dimensions, including social, employment and
food and energy security risks, non traditional threats to security such as diseases and
epidemics, as well as the challenges posed by climate change, underscore our fundamental
interdependence and the imperative of enhancing cooperation to achieve equitable and
sustainable development for all.

3. The world needs a new global governance, the construction of which must be based on
inclusive multilateralism. In our evolving multi-polar world, the G5, as a positive platform
that contributes to the promotion of the interests of developing countries, will continue to
actively engage in jointly tackling global challenges.

4. The recent outbreak of influenza A(H1N1), along with its rapid spread to various countries
all around the world, has further underscored the growing interconnection among people
and countries. We will continue monitoring the development of this epidemic and facing it on
the basis of constructive dialogue and cooperation.

5. Collectively, at the G-20 Summit held in London last April, we stressed the need of
addressing the global and financial crisis in an integrated manner, carefully considering its
social and developmental impacts, as well as the long term requirements of stability and
sustainability. It is our conviction that efforts to address food security, energy security and
other issues of common concern to developing countries, should not be reduced because of
the financial crisis. On the contrary, we must grab the crisis as an opportunity to reform the
international economic system for the benefit of all, particularly the most vulnerable. As a
first step, we call for the full implementation of the G-20 London Summit Declaration
without any delay.

6. At the global level, we must swiftly strengthen macroeconomic policy coordination and
adopt strong economic stimulus measures to restore market confidence, stabilize financial
markets and promote world economic growth. Developed countries have a leading
responsibility in this regard.

7. The G5 will continue to promote the reform of the international financial system in a
comprehensive, balanced and result-oriented way, with the purpose of establishing a new
international financial order which is fair, just, inclusive and well-managed. In particular, we
pledge to devote appropriate efforts to fundamentally resolving the issue of under-
representation and inadequate voice of developing countries in international financial
institutions, which is urgently needed. Towards this end, the G5 will collaborate with other
world leaders. In this light, we welcome the outcome document adopted by the United
Nations Conference on the World Financial and Economic Crisis and its Impact on
Development.

8. The promotion of equitable and sustainable development for all must be at the core of
global efforts. We urge international financial institutions to use their recently augmented
resources to mainly help those developing countries which have been seriously affected by
the crisis. We also call on all countries to consider the impact of their macroeconomic
policies on developing countries and avoid aggravating the difficulties of developing
countries due to the negative spillover effect of their policies.

9. Trade is a fundamental engine for growth and inclusive economic development. Thus, all
members of the international community, must resist trade protectionism and refrain from
raising new barriers to investment or trade in goods and services, or implementing
inconsistent measures with World Trade Organisation (WTO). We all must strengthen
cooperation and coordination in trade finance in support of developing countries to reduce
the gravest impacts of the financial crisis. The G5 is fully committed to working for an
ambitious and balanced outcome at the WTO Doha Development Round negotiations at the
earliest date. The needs and interests of developing countries have to be placed at the heart
of the Doha negotiations.

10. We reaffirm our commitment to meeting the Millennium Development Goals and to
contributing to poverty eradication and the promotion of social development and justice at a
global scale. In this regard, considering the threatening social impact of the global financial
and economic crisis, we urge developed countries to speedily meet the already committed
target of 0.7% of their gross national income for official development assistance to
developing countries. Also, we emphasise the importance of fully implementing the
outcomes of major World Summits, especially the United Nations Conference on
Environment and Development, the Monterrey Consensus and the Johannesburg Plan of
Implementation. This is also a necessary condition for global recovery.

11. We stress the need for developing countries to strengthen coordination and collaboration
on outstanding global issues and call on all Governments, international organizations and
relevant parties to vigorously support South-South and trilateral cooperation, making full
use of the existing mechanisms to deepen cooperation in all fields. An expanded South-
South cooperation can be supplementary but is not a substitute for North-South
cooperation.

12. Global warming poses a defining challenge for the present and future generations.
Adaptation to climate change is of crucial importance and should be given equal emphasis
as mitigation. We urge developed countries to assist the developing countries that are
particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change in meeting costs of
adaptation. We also urge developed countries to commit themselves to ambitious and
comparable quantified emission reduction targets by reducing their emissions in aggregate
by at least 40% below their 1990 levels by 2020, in the second commitment period of the
Kyoto Protocol. Reaffirming the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and
respective capabilities and underlining the fundamental role of the United Nations
Framework Convention on Climate Change and its Kyoto Protocol, we urge developed
countries to provide measurable, reportable and verifiable technology, financing and
capacity building to support and enable developing countries to take nationally appropriate
mitigation actions in the context of sustainable development. In particular, we express our
interests in further considering proposals for the establishment of international funding
arrangements, including the proposal of Mexico for a Green Fund, and the setting of a
climate financing goal for all developed countries to contribute a certain percentage of their
annual GDP in addition to ODA, among others aimed at ensuring adequate, predictable and
sustained funding to support nationally appropriate mitigation actions by developing
countries. Given the fundamental role of technology in addressing climate change, we call
for the establishment of an international mechanism for the development, deployment and
transfer of climate-friendly technologies.
We are fully committed to working for an ambitious outcome at the 2009 United Nations
Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, to ensure the full, effective and sustained
implementation of the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol.

13. Peace and development are mutually reinforcing. The G5 will continue to support efforts
that promote global security based on international law, and through constructive dialogue
and diplomacy, seek to strengthen the international legal framework. We remain committed
to supporting the role of the United Nations in global governance and further undertake to
intensify international cooperation, especially in the multilateral arena. We will continue to
strive for a comprehensive reform of the United Nations that includes strengthening the
General Assembly, revitalizing ECOSOC, reforming the Secretariat, strengthening the UN
gender architecture and, in particular, achieving an early reform of the UN Security Council,
that properly reflects the current economic and political realities.

14. We unequivocally condemn in the strongest terms terrorism in all its forms and
manifestations. The global scourge of terrorism need strongest collective action by the
international community to prevent terrorist acts and punish perpetrators, financiers and
others involved in such acts. In order to provide a comprehensive international legal
framework against terrorism, the UN member states should conclude and adopt the
Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism as early as possible.

15. We reiterate our commitment to ensure a world free of nuclear weapons and other
weapons of mass destruction and welcome the strengthening of multilateral dialogue on
disarmament issues. In particular, we support the implementation of the World Program of
the Conference on Disarmament for its 2009 sessions and expect a substantive outcome of
these meetings.

16. We are determined to continue engaging in all multilateral efforts leading to achieve the
improved global economic governance and other major changes required to ensure that
globalization and interdependence work for the benefit of all. Our strategic objective is to
continue promoting an action-oriented global partnership for truly equitable and sustainable
development worldwide.
Joint Statements
Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi