Plenary

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message to the opening of the 2021 Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Humanitarian Affairs Segment in Geneva today:

The Economic and Social Council concluded its 2021 Management Segment today, adopting a series of texts forwarded by its subsidiary bodies which covered topics from the rights of indigenous peoples and support for Haiti, to the learning portfolios of venerated United Nations training and training institutions, while also reviewing reports on food security and financing for development.

The COVID-19 pandemic served as a stress test for the repositioned United Nations development system, which rose to the challenge and has made the most of the Organization’s assets to help countries worldwide emerge stronger from the crisis, senior officials of the Economic and Social Council said today, as it concluded a three-day annual segment on operational activities for development.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks, as prepared for delivery, to the Economic and Social Council operational activities segment for Session 8:  “Unleashing the United Nations development system’s regional assets:  The path forward”, today:

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the Economic and Social Council segment on Operational Activities for Development:  presentation of report and vision for the continuation of United Nations reform and the implementation of the 2020 Quadrennial Comprehensive Policy Review in times of crisis, held today:

The United Nations development system is better positioned thanks to recent reforms but more can and must be done to improve its effectiveness at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has wiped out a decade of achievements in some countries, delegates told the Economic and Social Council today at the opening of its three-day segment on operational activities for development.

The Economic and Social Council, acting without a vote, adopted three decisions today, including one setting out the theme of its upcoming humanitarian affairs segment, while also electing members to 15 subsidiary bodies.

The Economic and Social Council, holding its first in-person meeting in 2021, adopted a range of decisions today, extending COVID-19-related procedures, rescheduling delayed meetings and filling several vacancies, including on the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women).

The Economic and Social Council adopted three decisions related to the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations and postponed a decision today, stemming from COVID-19 pandemic-related changes to its working methods, on whether to reopen its 2020 session to reconsider the draft ministerial declaration of its high-level political forum on sustainable development, held in July.

The Economic and Social Council elected several countries to fill 15 outstanding vacancies in eight of its subsidiary bodies while also nominating Germany as a member of the Committee for Programme and Coordination.