Source: United Nations (video statements)
Marking the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the UN Secretary-General urged Member States to take immediate steps to implement the reforms they committed to in the Pact for the Future.
Speaking at the commemoration of ECOSOC at 80 named “a turning point for multilateralism” today , Guterres said, “let us renew our commitment to safeguarding rights and speeding up development through multilateral cooperation. ECOSOC is an indispensable platform for global dialogue and action.”
ECOSOC President Lok Bahadur Thapa said the Council’s legacy at 80 is simple and more urgent.
He said, “Multilateralism must deliver. Development must be inclusive. And progress must reach everyone. This is the vision and commitment we set forth in the Charter – one that should continue to guide our collective action.”
For her part, President General Assembly Annalena Baerbock reiterated, “Peace, development and human dignity and human rights are inseparable,” adding that delivering on these social and economic goals is therefore “not only a moral imperative for those they are designed to serve. It is also a matter of enlightened self-interest.”
“It is an investment in stability, resilient and security in a world that is too often defined by crisis,” she added.
Established in 1945 by the Charter of the United Nations, ECOSOC held its first meeting on 23 January 1946. Its mandate – to coordinate the economic, social, and cultural activities of the United Nations and promote international cooperation and development – has placed it at the heart of advancing the principles of the UN Charter. Multilateralism, inclusivity, and global solidarity have been central to ECOSOC’s mission from the outset.