Economic issues

Amid concern over predictions for yet another year of tepid global growth, the Economic and Social Council held a high-level policy dialogue today with marquee financial and trade organizations on the state of the world economy, as it also wrapped up its annual ministerial review on ways to generate decent jobs and end poverty.

For the world’s 205 million unemployed, finding work was difficult amid a slow economic recovery and rigid labour markets, conditions that presented an opportunity for the Economic and Social Council to sharpen its focus on youth, integrate its development efforts and advocate for a decisive multilateralism that benefited the most marginalized, Miloš Koterec, President of the 54-member body, said today.

Wrapping up its resumed 2012 session this morning, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations adopted its draft 2012 report and took action on outstanding matters.

Resuming its 2012 organizational session today, the Economic and Social Council elected a Vice-President to its Bureau to fill the vacancy left by Maged Abdelaziz, the former Permanent Representative of Egypt, who had relinquished his post as Vice-President of the Council for 2012.

The non-governmental organization Kmer Kampuchea-Krom Federation is utterly unqualified to be granted consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations heard today as it began the process of winding down its 2012 resumed session.

Continuing its resumed 2012 session, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended the reclassification of two national organizations — from Pakistan and the United States, dealing, respectively, with poverty eradication and health care — from special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council to general consultative status, meaning they not only can attend meetings of the Council, but they can also address them.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended four entities for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and postponed its consideration of nine applications. It also took note of 137 quadrennial reports submitted by non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in consultative status with the Council, while deferring consideration of 14.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 19 entities for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council and 1 for roster status, but postponed consideration of 35 other applications as it continued consideration of applications deferred from previous sessions during its resumed 2012 session.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today voted to block the proposed closure of the application for consultative status of an organization alleged to have terrorist ties — including financial links to Osama bin Laden and the Al-Qaida network — as delegates felt the organization should be given a chance to respond to those allegations before such “abrupt” action was taken.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended 26 entities for special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, and postponed consideration of 26 more — as well as of one request for reclassification of status — pending responses to questions posed by Committee members, as it continued its resumed 2012 session.