UN Photo/Manuel Elías Ambassador Robert Rae of Canada, President of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC).

A veteran Canadian diplomat was on Thursday elected President of the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), which lies at the centre of the Organization’s efforts to advance sustainable development

Robert Rae currently serves as Canada’s Ambassador to the UN and chair of ECOSOC’s Ad Hoc Advisory Group on Haiti. He succeeds Paula Narváez Ojeda of Chile.

The 54-member Council also elected three new Vice-Presidents: Lok Bahadur Thapa (Nepal), Krzysztof Szczerski (Poland) and Maritza Chan Valverde (Costa Rica).

They represent the Asia-Pacific, Eastern European, and Latin America and Caribbean States, respectively.  

A vice-president from the African States regional group will be elected at a later date.

SDGs off track

Delivering his inaugural address in a mixture of French and English, Mr. Rae noted that this was a crucial moment for the UN.

The international community is now past the halfway point for implementing Agenda 2030 for Sustainable Development, while over 80 per cent of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are off track.

While acknowledging the “bad news”, he also pointed to the “good news”, as greater efforts can at least ensure there is no more backsliding.

“We can also learn more from countries that are succeeding,” he added.

Three main priorities

Mr. Rae also outlined his priorities, which include continued focus on the global displacement crisis.

“We need to ensure that the rights of those on the move are protected; that they are supported by regular migration and by refugee protection pathways,” he said, while underscoring the need for “predictable and equitable responsibility sharing”.

Harnessing artificial intelligence (AI) to accelerate implementation of the SDGs, and deepening engagement with international financial institutions, are his other priorities.

Regarding the latter, he said this engagement is to address gaps in financing for development and for fragile and conflict-affected countries.

Mr. Rae also highlighted other important themes for his presidency, including gender equality, which he said “is not only a fundamental human right…but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and, therefore, sustainable world.”

Harness the power  

The outgoing ECOSOC President, Paula Narváez Ojeda, reflected on her tenure during “a difficult global situation” marked by escalating conflict, worsening food insecurity, a rise in extreme poverty, deepening inequality and increasing effects of climate change.

“The Council is essential to achieving effective multilateralism that is fair, representative and interconnected,” she said, speaking in Spanish.

Ms. Narváez Ojeda concluded her remarks by inviting members to “really harness this rich institutional network” to channel efforts towards achieving the SDGs.

Editor's Note:The Canadian government is very supportive of the United Nations' peacebuilding efforts, so we are publishing the ambassador's remarks on UN peacebuilding from a few months ago.

Peacekeeping budgets:The peace building fund provides catalytic and flexible financing to support local and national peace building efforts, including those led by women and youth. The fund is a driver of both integration and inclusion and an important tool for our efforts to prevent and respond to conflict and violence. However, we also know that more is needed to address the demand for peace building support in countries affected by conflict. It's critical for all donors to step up, and we are hopeful that the general assembly will agree to provide assessed budgetary contributions to the fund, as this support is needed just as much as additional voluntary contributions.

Canada has recently pledged $70 million to the fund over three years. This builds on our significant investments in the UN's peace building work over many years, and we will continue to support the fund as we know it has real impact on the ground.

The same can be said for the peace building commission, which plays an essential role in supporting countries' transition from conflict to lasting peace.

I want to thank the UN, including the peace building support office, for its tireless efforts to promote sustainable peace amid such a difficult moment, and to reaffirm Canada's full support for this critical work.