Economic issues

The Secretary-General has appointed experts to develop recommendations for measures that complement or go beyond Gross Domestic Product (GDP). This is a way to recognize that GDP — relied upon as a gauge of prosperity — provides an incomplete picture of the different dimensions of sustainable development.

Bretton Woods institutions are playing a crucial role in ensuring financial stability and promoting development, their representatives said today, even as some speakers expressed concern about their private-sector-first approach.

Following are UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ remarks to the 2025 Economic and Social Council forum on financing for development follow-up, in New York today:

In Somalia, flash floods have impacted nearly 30,000 people in different parts of the country. Authorities say at least four people have been killed in the past week. Humanitarian officials note that the rains come after months of dry conditions that decimated water sources and grazing land.

Consensus has been reached on a draft pandemic agreement after more than three years of intensive negotiations. By that, Member States of the World Health Organization took a major step forward in efforts to make the world safer from pandemics.

Following is UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s message, as prepared for delivery, on the occasion of the Group of 20 (G20) Finance Ministers and Central Banks Meeting Session II: International Financial Architecture, held in Cape Town, South Africa, today:

Following is UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s message for the opening of the Finance in Common Summit, held in Cape Town, South Africa, today:

Following are UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed’s remarks at the Group of 20 (G20) side event — Domestic Resource Mobilization: Bridging the Tax Gap, held in Cape Town, South Africa, today:

In Somalia, some 3.4 million people are already experiencing crisis-levels of hunger. This figure is expected to rise to 4.4 million between April and June when below-average rains are forecast. However, the $1.42 billion humanitarian appeal is only 12 per cent funded.

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced today the appointment of Bjørg Sandkjær of Norway as Assistant Secretary-General for Policy Coordination in the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs.