Discurso do Representante Permanente do Brasil, Embaixador Sérgio França Danese, na Celebração do 80o Aniversário do Conselho Econômico e Social das Nações Unidas (ECOSOC) - 23 de janeiro de 2026 (texto em inglês)

Statement by the Permanent Representative of Brazil to the United Nations, Ambassador Sérgio França Danese, at the Commemoration of the 80th Anniversary of the ECOSOC
January 23rd, 2026

Mr. President, Excellencies,

Eight decades after its establishment, ECOSOC remains a central pillar of this Organization: an essential forum for advancing inclusive development, social justice, and international cooperation.

But today is also a moment for reflection.

Military expenditures are growing faster than our economies. Development assistance is sharply declining. Climate change threatens our societies as never before. Nearly one billion people still suffer from hunger.

This is unacceptable.

In 2023, President Lula launched the Global Alliance Against Hunger and Poverty. It seeks to strengthen coordination among national policies and mobilize

financial and technical resources to eradicate hunger and poverty globally. Today, the Alliance is supported by more than 100 UN Member States.

Excellencies,

The UN Charter is unequivocal. Its Preamble commits us to promoting social progress and better standards of life for all. Social development and sustainability are not secondary concerns; they are the very foundation of the United Nations. It was precisely to advance these objectives that the founding members established ECOSOC as a cornerstone of the UN system.

Brazil believes that the UN must return to basics, the very principles enshrined in its Charter, our guide, our law. The Organization must re-embrace its original commitment to a progressive social and economic agenda, without which peace and security will always remain fragile.

Strengthening ECOSOC means reaffirming development as a collective responsibility. It means

working together for prosperity, dignity, and opportunity for all — the only lasting foundation for peace and security.

Let us commemorate this anniversary not merely as a tribute to history, but as a renewed call to action.

I thank you.