Economic and Social Council

Following is the text of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ video message for the Economic and Social Council Youth Forum today:

After a one-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Economic and Social Council Youth Forum reconvened today in a virtual format to mark its tenth anniversary, with speakers emphasizing the critical role that the world’s 1.8 billion young people can — and must — play in “building back better” and fulfilling the promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

With the world still deep in the grip of COVID‑19, many countries find themselves no more than a crisis or two away from sliding into conflict, speakers warned today during a virtual joint meeting of the Economic and Social Council and the Peacebuilding Commission that focused on ways to forge solidarity and develop conflict-sensitive responses to the worst global pandemic in a century.

The Economic and Social Council today filled two regular vacancies in the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN‑Women) and elected four additional members to the Executive Committee of the Programme of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

The Economic and Social Council today adopted a resolution aimed at better coordinating support to Africa’s Sahel region, and held elections to fill vacancies in several of its subsidiary bodies and the Executive Board of the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN‑Women).

While nomadic herding has peacefully existed for centuries, the traditional practice is now facing increased pressure in West Africa and the Sahel region due to reduced land, scarce water, climate change and the proliferation of illegally armed groups, delegates told a joint meeting of the Economic and Social Council and Peacebuilding Commission today.

The Economic and Social Council today approved a draft decision, in addition to electing a Vice-President and agreeing upon the division of responsibilities for its 2020 session.

The Economic and Social Council will prioritize development financing, transparent institutions, good governance and anti-corruption in 2020, its newly elected President pledged today, as arrangements were finalized for the forthcoming session.

The Economic and Social Council today adopted a series of texts, forwarded by its subsidiary bodies, aimed at streamlining support to those facing development challenges around the globe — including populations where HIV rates remain high, communities facing political uncertainty in Haiti and countries emerging from conflict across Africa.

The Economic and Social Council today adopted decisions and resolutions on issues ranging from a rise in opioid overdose deaths to the social and economic consequences of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian and Syrian lands, as it continued its 2019 Coordination and Management meetings today.