Secretary-General, at Session of Economic Commission for Latin America, Caribbean, Urges Region to Address Development Finance Challenges

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message at the thirty-sixth session of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), in Mexico City today:

Let me begin by thanking Mexico for hosting this session of ECLAC.  I thank all of you for your leadership and support for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Latin American and the Caribbean helped place equality at the centre of the Agenda.  Now we must move from vision to reality, with Governments, the private sector and civil society, working together.

The regional dimension is crucial for addressing common challenges, exchanging experiences and connecting the local and national with the global.

As a largely middle-income region, Latin America and the Caribbean must address particular financing for development challenges and work to collectively resolve the specific needs of the Caribbean small island developing States.

Achieving the high ambitions set by the Sustainable Development Goals will require a major shift in the way we do business.  I encourage you to overcome structural gaps, capitalize on progress, and continue to be a leading voice for sustainable development on the global stage.

Once again, my thanks to the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean for our strong partnership, and to Alicia Bárcena, Executive Secretary of ECLAC, for her leadership and vision.

I wish you a successful meeting.