Economic and Social Council

The Economic and Social Council today began the coordination and management meetings of its 2018 session with the election of members to a number of subsidiary bodies.

With 8 per cent of people around the world living in poverty, and 192 million unemployed, achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development would require unleashing the power of the business community to solve entrenched structural ills, delegates told the Economic and Social Council Partnership Forum today.

Speakers expressed broad support today for the Secretary‑General’s proposals to reform the way the United Nations was helping Member States achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, while emphasizing national ownership of development strategies, as the Economic and Social Council wrapped up its three‑day 2018 operational activities segment.

The heads of various United Nations agencies, funds and programmes discussed methods for aligning their strategies with the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development today, as the Economic and Social Council continued its consideration of the United Nations operational activities for international development cooperation within the broader context of Organizational reform.

Reinvigorating the Resident Coordinator system and ushering in a new generation of United Nations country teams would be essential for the Organization to support Member States in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, the Economic and Social Council heard today as it opened its 2018 operational activities for development segment.

The Economic and Social Council today elected by acclamation Italy to the Organizational Committee of the Peacebuilding Commission.

Concluding the second day of the two‑day Economic and Social Council Youth Forum, young people and representatives of Government and civil society gathered to share their findings on how youth could help implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and help to build sustainable and resilient communities.

As the seventh annual Economic and Social Council Youth Forum opened today, playing host to Government ministers and officials, youth delegates and representatives from civil society, discussions focused on the role of young people in the building of sustainable and resilient urban and rural communities.

The Economic and Social Council met today to fill regular and outstanding vacancies in eight of its subsidiary bodies.

The Economic and Social Council today adopted a resolution to discontinue the United Nations Conference on the Standardization of Geographical Names in its current form, along with six decisions and two recommendations on organizational matters.