Economic issues

A post-2015 agenda focused on sustainable development and poverty eradication required the United Nations to refine the ways it supported countries’ priority development needs, delegates said today as the Economic and Social Council wrapped up the main part of its “operational activities for development” segment of its 2014 session.

An initiative to coordinate United Nations “deliverables” still faced many challenges despite early successes, senior officials of the Organization’s specialized agencies and country teams told the Economic and Social Council as it held three panel discussions today.

A vastly altered development landscape had evolved since adoption of the Millennium Development Goals nearly 15 years ago, mandating the United Nations to adapt by building on its core strengths: its universal presence, legitimacy and quality of expertise, Deputy Secretary-General Jan Eliasson told the Economic and Social Council today.

The Economic and Social Council this afternoon unanimously adopted its programme of work for 2014, as orally revised. It elected a member of its Bureau and appointed a member of the Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti.

Pledging support for the new organizational and institutional structure of the Economic and Social Council, the United Nations top economic and social affairs official today said it would bolster that body’s capacity to fortify the ambitious global post-2015 development agenda.

Resuming its substantive session today, the Economic and Social Council adopted a draft ministerial declaration of its 2013 high-level segment and two draft decisions, and filled a vacancy on its Peacebuilding Commission.

The Second Committee (Economic and Financial) concluded its work today as it approved 10 draft resolutions that will soon go before the General Assembly.

The General Assembly would urge that multilateral development banks continue to move forward on flexible, concessional, and fast-disbursing aid that would substantially and quickly assist developing countries, by terms of one of 16 draft resolutions the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) approved today by consensus.

The General Assembly would stress the need to significantly reduce post-harvest and other food losses and waste throughout the food supply chain through increased promotion of appropriate harvesting practices, agro-food processing and appropriate facilities for the storage and packaging of food, according to one of seven draft resolutions that the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) approved today.

The General Assembly would stress the need to increase investment in agriculture and rural development, including by giving technical and financial aid to least developed and net food-importing developing countries, with a view to increasing their agricultural productivity and infrastructure, according to one of two draft resolutions the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) approved by consensus today.