Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a keynote address virtually at a high-level segment of the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) session on July 17.

This was the first address by the PM to the broader UN membership since India’s overwhelming election as a non-permanent member of the Security Council for the term 2021-22.

The theme of the high-level segment of the ECOSOC this year is “Multilateralism after COVID19: What kind of UN do we need at the 75th anniversary?”.

What is the purpose of ECOSOC?

The Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) coordinates the work of UN agencies related to economic, social and environmental development. 

It is the central platform for fostering debate and innovative thinking, forging consensus on ways forward, and coordinating efforts to achieve internationally agreed goals. It is also responsible for the follow-up to major UN conferences and summits.

The UN Charter established ECOSOC in 1945 as one of the six main organs of the United Nations.

ECOSOC consists of 54 members, 18 of which are elected each year by the General Assembly for a three-year term.

Each year, ECOSOC structures its work around an annual theme of global importance to sustainable development. This ensures focused attention, among ECOSOC’s array of partners, and throughout the UN development system. 

By emphasising combined economic, social and environmental concerns, ECOSOC encourages agreement on coherent policies and actions that make fundamental links across all three.

At the high-level segment of ECOSOC, ministers and executive heads of international institutions and other high-ranking officials join civil society and private sector representatives to discuss key issues on the international agenda.

Key points of PM’s address

PM said the 75th anniversary of the founding of the UN is an opportunity to assess its role and relevance in today’s world.

He reiterated India’s call for a ‘reformed multilateralism’ in a post-COVID-19 world, which reflects the realities of the contemporary world.

In his address, PM recalled India’s long association with the ECOSOC and the UN’s developmental work, including for the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He noted that India’s developmental motto of ‘Sabka Saath,  Sabka Vikaas, Sabka Vishwas’ resonates with the core SDG principle of leaving no one behind. 

“The United Nations was originally born from the furies of the Second World War. Today, the fury of the pandemic provides the context for its rebirth and reform,” the PM said.

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