Welcome to the United Nations
Assistant Secretary General for Policy Coordination and Inter-Agency Affairs, Ms Maria Francesca Spatolisano, participated in the closing panel at the 2020 Mont Blanc Meetings, organized for the Social and Solidarity Economy Forum International, 1st October 2020. The biannual meetings are attended by policy-makers, social and solidarity economy practitioners, academics and civil society with the aim of popularizing the social and solidarity enterprise model globally.
In her remarks, Ms Spatolisano highlighted the need to refocus development efforts on people and their wellbeing, in order to recover better from the multiple crises currently besetting the world, noting that the social and solidarity economy is an important part of finding solutions.
She informed participants that the United Nations Economist Network recently published a report titled “Shaping the Trends of Our Times.” The report tracks key mega trends that will determine our future and provides some policy options for steering these trends to benefit humanity. One main policy option is the promotion of the circular economy, which can help address climate change and provide decent green jobs in the process.
Noting that the social dimension of the SGDs are at the heart of the business model of the social and solidarity economy, “If business entities operating in the social and solidarity economy also adopt to the circular economy model, this will produce a comprehensive model that is efficient and distributes wealth and opportunity to the many, not just the few owners of capital,” she said.
On recovering better from the global pandemic, the world will recover better, stronger, more resilient and more connected if all commitments made in the global agreements such as the SDGs, the Paris Climate Agreement and the Addis Ababa Action Plan are fully implemented, .
Ms Spatolisano advised participants to join the United Nations in the Decade of Action for the SDGs, and that the resident coordinator system, is a good way to interact with the UN at the country level.
She concluded by encouraging all stakeholders to galvanize collective strengths and resources to pioneer innovative approaches to building an inclusive and sustainable future for all.
