Madam President, Excellencies, Colleagues,
I thank you for the opportunity of this discussion today, to reflect upon the Report of the Work of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for its 2025 session.
Italy aligns itself with the statement delivered by the European Union and would like to add some remarks.
I would first like to thank Ambassador Bob Rae, former President of ECOSOC.
He did an incredible job in ensuring that the Council continues to serve as a platform for constructive dialogue and concrete solution. With your engagement and leadership, Bob, you have set an example for all of us on how to uphold multilateralism and the center role of the UN in it.
Compared to previous years, in 2025, ECOSOC has: strengthened its ties to global processes (FFD4, social summit, emerging technologies); promoted the culture of evaluation and data as a central lever; broadened its focus on emerging issues (AI, displacement, development finance); intensified the participation of non-state actors (youth, civil society, regional systems); and has adopted an “urgent” approach to the SDGs, in view of the 2030 deadline.
2025’s High Level Political Forum was also a major turning point for last year’s ECOSOC activities, with only five years left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in a phase of great challenges in the global multilateral agenda, where the progress on many targets is halted or proceeding at a slow pace.
Over 2025, we particularly appreciated the cross-cutting approach of the President of ECOSOC Rae, signaling a deep understanding of the integrated dimension (economic, social, environmental) of our challenges.
Of course, none of this would have been possible without the leadership of Amb. Rae.
I think that in the future we should continue to favor such horizontal approaches, rather than sectorial ones.
As many of you already said, ECOSOC stands at the heart of the reform process required by the UN80 Initiative.
The UN80 reform promotes a better integration of development, human rights and peace and security pillars.
In this context, ECOSOC could become the permanent platform for these cross-cutting linkages, by more systematically integrating outcomes from the coordination, development, financing, humanitarian/human rights segments.
At the same time, ECOSOC could position itself as a “hub” that ensures that the reforms do not fragment the socio-economic dimension of the sustainable development pillar.
In conclusion, again, dear Bob, thanks a lot for your superlative contribution to the UN. I have no quotes here, but maybe, yes, I can quote the PGA when she said at the beginning that your voice will be missed here.
I thank you.
Colleagues, Italy remains committed to continue this discussion in the months to come.
Thank you.
