Objectives

As a coordination vehicle for the United Nations in Economic and Social Affairs, ECESA commits itself to the following objectives:

1. Ensuring a greater coherence of views within the United Nations;
2. Facilitating a more effective participation of developing countries in global processes;
3. Achieving a better balance between the global and regional dimensions of development, in terms of analysis, norm and standard setting and technical assistance;
4. Strengthening the linkages among the UN normative, analytical and operational work

ECESA Statement of Objectives

1. The United Nations Charter's goals to employ international machinery for the promotion of the economic and social advancement of all peoples and to promote higher standards of living, full employment and conditions of economic and social progress and development remain fully valid but under circumstances that have changed profoundly.
2. Globalization and interdependence open genuine opportunities for growth and development through partnership. But they can also lead to further marginalization, inequality and poverty among and within countries. To spread the benefits of globalization while minimizing and controlling its adverse effects is an acknowledged goal of the international community. In addition, the role of non-state actors with global reach is becoming increasingly important in the development of many countries.
3. As a universal and impartial organization, the United Nations has the broad mandate to formulate global and regional social, economic and environmental policies, implement internationally agreed policies and goals, forge consensus and commitments, establish norms and standards and translate them into action at the country, regional and interregional levels. No other organization offers a framework of cooperation for development over as wide a range of issues encompassing trade, investment, technology, finance, drug control, social issues, population, gender, human rights, the environment, human settlements. For that reason the United Nations is well equipped to deal with developmental questions in a holistic and comprehensive manner. It is also well placed to address the links between development and peace.
4. In these closely related undertakings, each of us should play a more specific role and meet more specific goals. To this end, we must adhere to our core functions in order to avoid duplication and overlap and to be better placed to complement and draw upon each other's work both at headquarters and in the field. We are therefore committed to search for new modalities of cooperation among ourselves, within the United Nations system, and with major concerned actors of the international community, particularly non-governmental organizations, regional organizations and all pertinent actors of civil society, especially the private sector and the academic community. We also recognize the importance of a fuller utilization of existing procedures for consultations and collaboration, especially at the programme planning stage for the purpose of identifying substantive priorities and ensuring more targeted delivery.
5. At the fiftieth anniversary of the United Nations, the Member States renewed their pledges to the Charter. At the recent global conferences, they have deepened their commitment to international cooperation for development. Realizing the full potential of the United Nations in the economic and social fields, should be our collective task in the years ahead. In this spirit we set ourselves the following objectives:
   • to ensure a greater coherence of views within the United Nations;
   • to facilitate a more effective participation of developing countries in global processes;
   • to achieve a better balance between the global and regional dimensions of development in terms of analysis, norm setting and technical assistance;
   • to ensure a better interface between the private sector and the United Nations;
   • to develop fruitful cooperative links between non-governmental actors and the United Nations.