Economic issues

In Sudan, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned today that access constraints there are hindering the ability to deliver supplies and protection to the most vulnerable communities, and effectively monitor the delivery of aid to ensure that it reaches the intended recipients.

As ongoing conflicts, economic volatility and gaping inequality shadow development prospects, regional commissions today highlighted in a joint meeting with the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) the urgent need to bridge digital gaps in sparking opportunity and driving innovation, with the Committee also discussing challenges hampering countries in special situations in a separate session.

While artificial intelligence (AI) and other innovations hold endless promise for driving prosperity and growth, the international community must urgently address the critical and widening digital gap between developed and developing countries, senior United Nations officials and Member States told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today as it took up information and communications technologies (ICTs) for sustainable development as well as globalization and interdependence.

As myriad global crises spark alarming levels of poverty, hunger and malnutrition, unprecedented investments are needed to reverse this trend so as to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), speakers told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) as it took up poverty eradication, agriculture development, food security and nutrition.

In a world of rapid change and volatility, partnerships and networking between United Nations entities and the private sector are increasingly important and prevalent, a senior official informed the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today as it examined the role of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat).

As the world reels from armed conflicts, climate disasters and spiralling risks, speakers highlighted the need to bolster financing for resilience, risk reduction and social protection in a joint meeting today of the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) and the Economic and Social Council.

With only six years remaining to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the world is on track to achieve only 17 per cent of targets, requiring urgent action to correct that trajectory for developing countries, speakers warned the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today as it took up that crucial issue.

Faced with mounting debt, rising financial constraints, dwindling foreign investment and illicit financial flows, speakers in the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) urged international actors to address and reverse pernicious obstacles to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

With only 17 per cent of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) targets on track, the United Nations system and Member States must enhance and coordinate efforts to rescue them, speakers told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today as it took up the Secretary-General’s reports on the state of development.

In Ukraine, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reports that intense attacks in the south and east of the country this week have killed and injured dozens of civilians and damaged homes, a hospital and schools.