Economic issues

The post-2015 development agenda must be built on a solid foundation guaranteeing the intrinsic right to sustainable development for all countries, several delegates told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today as it began its two-day debate on the matter.

Climate change was the greatest threat to the livelihoods, security and well-being of her region and it was time to act, the representative of Kiribati told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today.

The global South was leading the post-crisis economic recovery, several heads of the United Nations Regional Commissions told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today during their annual dialogue.

Israel’s practices were not random but systematic, in line with a deliberate policy to force the displacement of Palestinians from their towns and villages and take control of their land, the Observer of the State of Palestine said today to the Second Committee (Economic and Financial).

A strong global partnership was needed to address development issues such as poverty eradication and the impacts of climate change, said the representative of Lao People’s Democratic Republic, speaking on behalf of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), as the Second Committee (Financial and Economic) took up global partnerships today.

Agriculture was the livelihood of the majority of people living in rural areas and had significantly contributed to alleviating poverty, the representative of Sri Lanka told the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) today as it considered agriculture development, food security and nutrition.

A free and open global trading system could be a powerful engine for economic growth and poverty reduction - particularly in turbulent economic times, the representative from Canada said today, as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) took up macroeconomic policy questions.

Middle-income countries were vulnerable to being caught in a “middle-income trap”, whereby they risked losing their competitiveness to low-income countries while still lacking the technological edge to catch up to high-income ones, the representative of the Bahamas said as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) took up globalization and interdependence.

Unless concerted efforts were taken to close the digital divide, many developing countries could miss economic opportunities, the representative of Nigeria said today as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) took up information and communications technology.

A lack of access to the sea, as well as remoteness, made doing business with major markets expensive for landlocked developing countries, said the representative of Botswana today as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) discussed countries in special situations.