Plenary

The Economic and Social Council today filled vacancies and nominated experts for 16 subsidiary bodies, both by secret ballot and acclamation, with some delegates expressing reservations about certain newly-elected members.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks to the Economic and Social Council Special Meeting on International Cooperation in Tax Matters, in New York today:

Reforming the current international corporate tax regime is critical to rebuilding trust and creating a new social contract between companies, Governments and citizens, the Economic and Social Council heard today, as members held their annual meeting on international cooperation in tax matters.

Following are Un Secretary-General  António Guterres’ remarks to the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) as a follow-up to the report entitled Our Common Agenda, in New York today:

The Economic and Social Council met today to take action on a wide variety of issues, from human rights questions related to narcotic drugs and the improvement of the financial situation of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to enhancing international cooperation on tax matters.

With support for the United Nations, the world’s regions are fighting back against a lopsided global COVID-19 recovery, working at the nexus of economic and sustainable development to build their productive capacities, address the climate crisis and reduce the risk of future pandemics, the Economic and Social Council’s coordination segment heard today as it concluded its inaugural session.

The Economic and Social Council today convened its first‑ever coordination segment, hearing from experts and delegates alike on how best to lay a path for tackling climate change, realizing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and forging an inclusive, resilient COVID-19 recovery plan.

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s video message to the Economic and Social Council Partnership Forum on “Building back better from the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) while advancing the full implementation of the 2030 Agenda”, held virtually, today:

Developing countries’ efforts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic are faltering amid ponderous debt burdens, “vaccine apartheid” and yawning chasms of inequality, said the keynote speaker at the Economic and Social Council’s annual Partnerships Forum today, adding that the wealth of a handful of billionaires is growing exponentially as the world continues to scramble.

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the joint Economic and Social Council-Peacebuilding Commission meeting on “Promoting COVID-19 Recovery and Durable Peace and Sustainable Development”, in New York today: