Economic issues

As the international community struggled to recover from the global financial and economic recession, mitigate climate change, end poverty and stem the spread of the H1N1 virus, the United Nations was carrying out nine joint initiatives to respond to those and other crises, Deputy Secretary-General Asha‑Rose Migiro said today.

Heads of State and Government attending the United Nations Leadership Forum heard today how business would be part of the solution on climate change from officers of some of the world’s largest corporations, as well as Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Nobel Laureate Al Gore and Prime Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen of Denmark.

Meeting with Heads of State and Government from more than 50 nations, nearly 200 leaders of global business and civil society organizations are gathering at the United Nations today to convey their support for a balanced, fair and effective global climate agreement.

The severity and pervasive character of the economic crisis continues to push millions of people into poverty and is reversing some of the hard-won development gains of the past decade, states a new United Nations report on the impact of the crisis.

Poverty eradication, climate change, the international financial system and development were among key topics approved for consideration by the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) this morning as it approved its organization of work for the sixty-fourth session of the General Assembly.

With the conclusion of its resumed 2009 session, the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations recommended that the Economic and Social Council grant consultative status to 36 bodies and reclassify one group, and took note of 111 quadrennial reports.

In a roll-call vote today, the resumed session of the Committee on Non-governmental Organizations rejected a proposal to recommend special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council for the Democracy Coalition Project, even as it recommended that status for 10 organizations, postponed consideration of 15 applications, pending receipt of additional information and closed the file on one group.

The resumed 2009 session of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organization considered 123 quadrennial reports submitted by groups in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council, taking note of 110 and deferring 13. It also postponed consideration of one application for consultative status and addressed other items on its agenda.

The Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations today recommended four entities for consultative status with the Economic and Social Council. Pending receipt of requested information, it postponed consideration of 22 others.

Recommending consultative status with the Economic and Social Council for nine entities today, the 2009 resumed session of the Committee on Non-Governmental Organizations also closed the file on two applications and postponed its consideration of 11 others pending receipt of additional information.