Meetings Coverage and Press Releases

Economic and Social Council

ECOSOC/6538

Addressing Economic and Social Council, Emergency Relief Coordinator Stresses Need for Sound Decision-Making, Broader Partnerships for Humanitarian Response

Basing humanitarian responses on reliable data and tapping the expertise of local partners were vital to bringing relief aid to areas and communities in need, top United Nations officials said this afternoon, as the Economic and Social Council began its humanitarian affairs segment. “To make the best use of resources for humanitarian response, decision-making must be based on evidence from reliable data,” said Valerie Amos, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs.
ECOSOC/6537

Differences Are Source of Strength, Heads of Funds, Programmes Say, Urge Flexible, Agile UN System, as Economic and Social Council Wraps up Operational Segment

The United Nations must define a results-oriented “One UN” strategy — one aimed at harmonizing the Organization’s development activities while still allowing individual funds and programmes to retain their autonomy — as its main approach at the country level, said top officials and Executive Board members of several entities today as they addressed the Economic and Social Council.
ECOSOC/6536

‘Everything We Do Should Be Judged by How It Impacts the People We Are Serving,’ Economic and Social Council Told in Session with Heads of UN Funds, Programmes

In a rapidly changing global environment, an effective, results-oriented United Nations development system was more important than ever, requiring the Organization’s funds and programmes to improve accountability between Headquarters and field offices, reduce transaction costs and build national capacities so that countries could better take charge of their own economic destinies, senior officials from those bodies stressed in the Economic and Social Council today.

ECOSOC/6535

Economic and Social Council Begins Consideration of United Nations Operational Activities, Under-Secretary-General Urges Enhanced Coordination, Coherence

While “significant” gains had been made in enhancing the coordination of the United Nations development system, the Organization’s ability to swiftly respond to Government requests for assistance must be improved by simplifying programming, decentralizing decision-making and achieving efficiency by providing predictable resources, the Economic and Social Council heard today, as it launched its operational activities segment.
ECOSOC/6534

Economic and Social Council Encourages United Nations System to Strengthen Efforts to Raise Profile of Global Education Agenda, Maximize Results Towards Agreed Goals

Recognizing the growing issue of youth unemployment and the importance of education to enhance their employability, the Economic and Social Council pressed the United Nations and the relevant international financial institutions today — by a consensus resolution — to strengthen collaboration to advance technical and vocational training, as well as other international education targets.
ECOSOC/6533

Finding Jobs for Millions of Highly Educated but Underqualified Youth Requires Targeted Training to Boost Skills, Economic and Social Council Told

While today’s youth were the most educated generation in history, they comprised nearly half of the world’s current jobless population, due in part to a mismatch between their skills and labour market conditions that demanded problem solving, decision making and teamwork, the Economic and Social Council heard today during a panel discussion devoted to remedying that situation.
ECOSOC/6529

Corruption Feeds Criminality, Fuels Public Distrust, Secretary-General Tells Economic and Social Council, Declaring: ‘We Cannot Let It Persist’

Corruption impaired economies, weakened democracy and fuelled public distrust — particularly where the rule of law was fragile and institutions were weak — United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki–moon told the Economic and Social Council today, as he urged Governments to forge strong links with all stakeholders to build “cultures of integrity”.