PRESS RELEASE – ITALY RE-ELECTED TO UN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COUNCIL (ECOSOC) FOR 2016-2018 TERM – (21 ottobre, 2015)

New York – On October 21, 2015 Italy was re-elected to the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) for the three-year term 2016-2018 with 178 votes out of 182 valid votes, obtaining the highest number of votes among the Western European and Others Group (WEOG).

This marks Italy’s ninth term as a member of ECOSOC since the Council’s establishment in 1946, and by the end of the term Italy will have been a member of ECOSOC for a total of 35 years out of the body’s 72-year tenure.

As a member of ECOSOC Italy intends to continue engaging and actively contributing to the UN’s efforts on global economic, social and environmental challenges, building on the work already accomplished through its long-standing participation in the Council’s work and through its Chairmanship of the Economic and Financial Committee (Second Committee) during the 69th Session of the General Assembly.

The ECOSOC is the UN’s central platform for reflection, debate, and innovative thinking on sustainable development. Established by the UN Charter in 1946, the Council is currently made up of 54 members: 14 members from African states; 11 from Asia-Pacific states; six from Eastern European states; 10 from Latin American and Caribbean states; and 13 from WEOG states.