EU Statement – UN ECOSOC: Commemoration of ECOSOC at 80

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EU Statement - UN ECOSOC: Commemoration of ECOSOC at 80

23.01.2026

23 January 2026, New York - Statement on behalf of the European Union and its Member States by Renaud Savignat, EU Ambassador to ECOSOC and Head of the Section for Sustainable Development and International Partnership, Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations, at the Commemoration of ECOSOC at 80: #ECOSOC80: A Turning Point for Multilateralism

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Excellency, Distinguished Delegates, Esteemed Colleagues,

I deliver this statement on behalf of the EU and its Member States.

The Candidate Countries North Macedonia*, Montenegro*, Albania*, Ukraine, the Republic of Moldova, Bosnia and Herzegovina* and Georgia, as well as Armenia, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the United Kingdom align themselves with this statement.

It is my great honor to address you today as we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the United Nations Economic and Social Council.

On this date in 1946, ECOSOC held its first meeting, guided by a bold vision enshrined in the UN Charter: that economic and social cooperation is essential to peace, prosperity, and human dignity.

Eighty years later, that vision remains not only relevant-but indispensable.

ECOSOC was created at a time when the world was emerging from devastation and searching for a new multilateral order. Today, we face a different, yet equally profound, set of challenges. Geopolitical tensions, conflict, climate change and rising inequality, are testing the foundations of international cooperation. No nation can confront these crises alone.

This is why today's commemoration is more than a celebration of history. It is a moment of reflection-and a call to action.

For eight decades, ECOSOC has served as the United Nations' central platform for advancing sustainable development, coordinating the UN system, and engaging a wide range of stakeholders-governments, international institutions, civil society, the private sector, and youth. It has helped shape global norms, mobilize partnerships, and give voice to those too often left behind.

Yet we must also be realistic.

The world of 2026 is more complex, more interconnected, and more unequal than the world of 1946. To meet today's realities, multilateralism must evolve. ECOSOC must evolve.

As we approach the end point of the 2030 Agenda, the EU and its Member States reaffirm our full commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, however, progress is far off track.

This is not due to a lack of ideas or commitments, but to gaps in implementation, financing, coordination, and political will. ECOSOC has a critical role to play in closing those gaps-by strengthening coherence across the UN system, fostering global solidarity, and ensuring that sustainable development remains at the center of global decision-making.

This anniversary therefore invites us to ask difficult but necessary questions:

How can ECOSOC become a stronger platform for inclusive and effective multilateralism?

How can it better deliver altogether for prosperity, people and the planet?

And what reforms are required to enhance its visibility, authority, and impact in global economic and social governance?

The answers to these questions will shape not only the future of ECOSOC, but the future of multilateral cooperation itself.

Allow me to focus on two key points, both of which are directly relevant to the ongoing discussions on the UN80 reform.

First, today's system remains burdened by fragmentation-too many bodies with overlapping roles, too many resolutions with limited follow-up, and insufficient alignment between the General Assembly, ECOSOC, and their respective mandates. Addressing this fragmentation lies at the heart of the UN80 reform, which seeks a more agile, coherent, and impact-driven United Nations. Reforming central governance therefore requires simplifying and better integrating these structures, so as to ensure coordinated action across the Secretariat and the UN system as a whole.

In this context, ECOSOC must be more than a forum for dialogue; it must become a driver of coherence within the UN80 framework. By strengthening its mandate, streamlining its structure, and ensuring that its outcomes meaningfully inform and contribute to implement broader UN decision-making, we can unlock ECOSOC's full potential as a platform for coordination, accountability, and strategic guidance in advancing the 2030 Agenda and delivering results on the ground.

And this brings me to the second point.

Chers collègues,

À l'approche de l'examen intergouvernemental qui se tiendra lors de la quatre-vingtième session de l'Assemblée générale et évaluera le fonctionnement de l'ECOSOC, nous devons renforcer la capacité de ce Conseil à répondre à des défis de plus en plus complexes et interdépendants. Ces défis, exacerbés par les crises mondiales et l'incertitude, exigent une plus grande cohérence d'action entre les acteurs humanitaires, du développement et de la paix. C'est un objectif fondamental de la réforme ONU80.

L'examen de l'ECOSOC et du Forum politique de haut niveau offre une occasion opportune de concrétiser les engagements d'ONU80. Il peut contribuer à transformer l'ECOSOC en une véritable « chambre de la redevabilité et des solutions », mieux à même de favoriser la cohérence et la mise en œuvre à l'échelle du système.

Si les examens précédents ont permis des progrès importants, le processus à venir ne peut se dérouler comme à l'accoutumée : nous devons tout mettre en œuvre pour renforcer davantage l'ECOSOC afin qu'il puisse pleinement remplir le rôle que lui confère la Charte, au sein d'une ONU réformée et apte à relever les défis de sa neuvième décennie.

Revitalizar el ECOSOC mediante su revisión completa no solo fortalece un Consejo; renueva la promesa del multilateralismo eficaz.

Asegurémonos de que el ECOSOC en su 80º aniversario sea recordado no solo como un hito, sino como un punto de inflexión hacia un sistema multilateral más eficaz, inclusivo y receptivo.

Juntos, podemos garantizar que el ECOSOC siga siendo un pilar de la cooperación global durante décadas.

Thank you.

*North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process.