Your Excellency, Ambassador Paruyr Hovhannisyan,
Vice-President of ECOSOC,
Excellencies,
Distinguished participants,
It is my pleasure to join you at the closing of the 2026 ECOSOC Coordination Segment.
As we celebrate the Council¡¯s 80th anniversary, this year¡¯s discussion has proven that the Economic and Social Council remains indispensable.
Over the years, ECOSOC has served as an open, inclusive, and trusted platform where Member States and stakeholders build consensus, foster cooperation, and advance solutions to our most pressing global challenges.
Yet, our collective ¡°to-do list¡± is long and urgent.
Despite notable progress towards the SDGs, implementation remains insufficient and uneven.
One in 12 people still experience hunger, and billions lack access to safe drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene.
Climate change continues to accelerate, with temperatures breaking records each year.
Many countries face record debt-servicing costs, while a staggering $4 trillion annual financing gap constrains development ¡ªespecially in the least developed countries, landlocked developing countries and small island developing states.
The SDGs and the outcomes of recent major conferences, including the Sevilla Commitment and the Doha Declaration, provide the blueprint for acceleration.
But we must shift from words to coherent action, and follow-through at all levels.
Excellencies,
Distinguished delegates,
The Coordination Segment has a unique mandate as the Council¡¯s primary mechanism for driving system-wide coherence and strategic direction.
Convened at the outset of the ECOSOC cycle, it serves as a platform to gather lessons from across the UN development system, sharpen priorities and frame forward-looking, action-oriented policy guidance ¡ªintended to guide subsidiary bodies and UN entities toward accelerated implementation of the 2030 Agenda.
We need to better leverage ECOSOC¡¯s vast expertise and convening power, translating its guidance into targeted action across the system and providing transformative, evidence-based leadership to drive progress where it matters most.
The UN80 Initiative¡ªincluding the ongoing work of the Informal Ad Hoc Working Group on mandate implementation review¡ªas well as the General Assembly¡¯s review of ECOSOC and the High-level Political Forum, are clear opportunities to renew and strengthen the Council so that it remains fit for purpose in addressing today¡¯s and tomorrow¡¯s global challenges.
Dear colleagues,
As the principal platform for stakeholder engagement within the UN system, ECOSOC must continue to champion the meaningful participation of civil society, academia, the private sector, and other partners.
Their perspective, innovation, and insights are essential to ensuring that our policies meet real needs and deliver real impact.
At a time of deepening divisions and strained trust, it is more important than ever that we come together, uphold multilateralism, and present a united front for people and planet.
As always, you can count on the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs for unwavering support to ECOSOC and your efforts as we accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, ensuring no one is left behind.
Thank you.