Secretary-General, in Message to Trade Forum, Urges Maximizing Potential

 

of Services as Tool for Inclusive, Sustainable Development

 

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s message to the Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services and the Global Services Forum on 28‑29 May:

I am pleased to send greetings to the participants in the second China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services and the second Beijing edition of the Global Services Forum.  I thank the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Beijing Municipality for hosting.

The services sector is a major component of the global economy, contributing a growing share to gross domestic product, trade and employment.  At the same time, a wide range of services ‑ from health to energy ‑ are indispensable to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.  Your input and ideas are most welcome as policymakers work on fashioning a post-2015 development framework, and explore issues related to challenges such as migration and development.

Let us work together to maximize the potential of services as an instrument for inclusive and sustainable development.  I trust that public awareness raised by the China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services, and the deliberations at the Global Services Forum, will advance our shared goals and objectives.

Thank you for your engagement.  Best wishes for a productive gathering.

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For information media • not an official record