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GROUP OF 77:

During the preparatory process, AOSIS and the G-77 came to an agreement, whereby the Chair of AOSIS spoke on behalf of the G-77 and China during the negotiations. This remained the case throughout the Conference itself, even through the long informal-informal night sessions on financial resources. This delegation of authority and coordination to one sub-group, may hold precedence for G-77 activities in the future. The G-77 itself is now not only divided into "level of development" groups, such as the G-27 and the LDCs, but also into cross-regional groups. Together with the G-77's difficulties during the early phases of the desertification negotiations (where preference to one regional group, Africa, led to a regional breakdown of the G-77), this Conference adds further nuances to the coordination of such a large, disparate group. It will be interesting to see how this Conference and its follow-up affects the future unity and effectiveness of this group of developing countries.