New York. June 7, 2021- Italy was elected again to be member of the Council Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the six main bodies of the United Nations, for the three-year period 2022-2024 . With 175 preferences obtained, Italy was the most voted country in its regional group (“WEOG” – Western Europe and Other Countries), ahead of Canada (169 votes), Belgium (167) and the United States (166).
With today’s election, our country is represented once again in the cornerstone body of the UN system for sustainable development, with primary competence over economic, social and environmental issues (i.e., the three dimensions of sustainable development).
In the words of Italy’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Mariangela Zappia, “the election is a testament to the consensus and reputation built by our country at multilateral level, recognizing its longstanding commitment and action in support of economic growth, sustainable development and in the social sphere, especially in a crucial year such as this one in which Italy – as G20 president and through its partnership with the United Kingdom ahead of the UN Climate Change Conference-COP26, is among the key players in the global project to redesign the post-pandemic rules and build more resilient and sustainable societies.”
In the context of its upcoming mandate at ECOSOC, Italy intends to continue its engagement and to actively contribute, in close liaison with EU partners, to the efforts of the United Nations and its members toward the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, by following a multi-stakeholder and inclusive approach of all parties who have interests at stake in the future of the planet – above all, young people – and by emphasizing the interdependence between the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
Among the immediate actions to be taken, according to Ambassador Zappia, it will first and foremost be necessary to work to reabsorb the backlog caused by the pandemic along the road to achieving the 17 Goals of the 2030 Agenda, with all its dramatic consequences including increased global poverty rates and worsened social inequalities.
Italy has a long history of participation in the work of the Council: today’s election marks Italy’s tenth term as an ECOSOC member state since the Council was established in 1946. Italy’s last term was held in the 2016-2018 triennium.
