UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for multilateral cooperation to speed up development.
He made the appeal at a special event to mark the 80th anniversary of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), one of the six principal organs of the United Nations.
Eighty years ago today, ECOSOC met for the first time. Along the way, the council has stayed true to its founding principles: fostering inclusive dialogue, forging commitments, promoting coordinated action, and mobilizing financing, said Guterres.
Despite signs of real progress, he added, the world is in a precarious state. Conflicts rage, as military spending goes through the roof. Inequalities grow, while development funding is in free fall. Temperatures climb, yet responses are scaled up too slowly. Technology barrels ahead, threatening to leave humanity behind. Rights are violated, yet impunity reigns, he said.
These intertwined crises cannot be solved with unilateral approaches or raw power. They demand urgent, collective responses. And ECOSOC can help lead the way, he said.
"So let us renew our commitment to safeguarding rights and speeding up development through multilateral cooperation. ECOSOC is an indispensable platform for global dialogue and action. Together, we can bridge the development divides, we can harness innovation for inclusion, and [not] inequality, and we can build a world anchored in peace, justice and shared prosperity," said Guterres.
But he cautioned that the council's continued success requires something more, especially in an era when multilateralism is under strain and trust is in short supply.
He asked to give developing countries more meaningful participation in global financial institutions, triple the lending capacity of multilateral development banks, lift crushing debt burdens, and help developing countries move up global supply chains.
UN chief calls for multilateral cooperation to speed up development
UN chief calls for multilateral cooperation to speed up development
UN chief calls for multilateral cooperation to speed up development
Serbia's Agriculture Minister Dragan Glamocic hailed the surge in exports to China following the launch of a landmark free trade agreement (FTA) in recent years, calling the pact a strategic relationship of mutual vision and voicing optimism for deeper bilateral cooperation.
The FTA between China and Serbia, signed in October 2023 and implemented on July 1, 2024, eliminates tariffs on roughly 90 percent of bilateral trade. More than 60 percent of goods became duty-free immediately upon its entry into force, marking a decisive step in deepening economic ties.
He said the agreement has reshaped Serbia’s trade profile, fueling a 69-percent jump in agricultural exports while accelerating imports of Chinese technologies and farm mechanization.
"The relationship between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Serbia, I would describe as a long-term, strategic relationship of mutual political and clear economic vision.The Free Trade Agreement between our countries was signed in 2023. It was introduced in 2024. As a result, our trade exchange has greatly improved, especially in the field of agriculture. We can say from that moment our exports to China grew for 69 percent. We have also made easier the import of certain things, such as mechanization and digital technologies, from the People's Republic of China to Serbia," said Glamocic.
"Our traditional products, such as wine, our domestic brandy, our honey, dried plums, frozen raspberries, similarly, imports of modern technologies from China are increasing, mechanization also, which really improves our agriculture business in Serbia. So I am an optimist that it will get better and better every day," he added.
The minister spoke highly of Serbia's partnership with China and voiced hope for broader cooperation in the future.
"What I would expect from China is that we sometimes try to speed up these procedures as much as possible. It is especially an honor for us when such a small country has such a status in the People's Republic of China. We were the first country to sign this type of strategic document in Europe, and we have reached the highest possible level among the two countries," he said.
Serbian agriculture minister reports record export growth to China
