On July 18, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) called on the UN to eradicate all forms of poverty, as key to meeting the inclusive sustainable development goals.
Speaking on behalf of CELAC during the first of the three events held as part of the UN Economic and Social Council (Ecosoc) Ministerial Meetings, the Dominican Republic’s Minister of Economy Juan Montás, demanded a global commitment to the fight against this scourge, which affects millions of people worldwide.
According to the representative, the struggle against poverty is a priority for the regional bloc – composed of 33 Latin American and Caribbean countries and headed this year by the Dominican Republic – looking toward implementing the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
Montás also noted that CELAC is calling for the implementation of the Official Development Assistance policy, a long-standing and unfulfilled promise by wealthier nations, which could significantly contribute to enabling less developed nations to meet the Agenda goals, adopted in September 2015.
He also called for transparent methods to be applied to measure progress in the implementation of a platform geared toward eradicating extreme poverty, reducing inequality, and promoting eco-friendly practices over the next 15 years.
The Dominican minister noted CELAC’s insistence on the importance of recognizing the planet as our shared home, where different models, realities and circumstances coexist.
(Granma)