It is a stark analysis, as stark as the reality that the world has been forced to face in the last fifteen years, that of Pope Francis in his speech to Deloitte Global, the London-based international consultancy, whose members have been received this tomorrow at the Apostolic Palace.

Just a representation of the approximately 350,000 employees who “every moment of the day” work to advise and help other organizations. “A great responsibility!” observed Francis, who asked them to fulfill the precise mission of being “integral consultants” to “cooperate in the reorientation of the way of being of this planet of ours, which has become ill – we, who have become ill – in the climate and in inequality”.

A world that suffers
“Humanity is globalized and interconnected, but poverty, injustice and inequality remain,” the pontiff began in his speech.

“Currently, the world is suffering from worsening environmental conditions; many populations or social groups live in an undignified way in terms of food, health, education and other basic rights”.

From 2007 to today
The Pope’s gaze goes back to the last fifteen years in which “the world has gone through serious and continuous crises.”

“We couldn’t finish dealing with the 2007 financial crisis, we had to deal with the public debt crisis and the real economies, then the pandemic, then the war in Ukraine with global consequences and threats.”
However, the pontiff noted that “the planet continues to suffer the effects of climate change; meanwhile, cruel and hidden wars continue to be waged in different regions; meanwhile, tens of millions of people continue to be forced to emigrate from their lands.”

Social justice, the new name of peace
It is true what Saint Paul VI said when he stated “that the new name of peace is development in social justice”. And Deloitte consultants and anyone who does similar work can do a lot in this “difficult and uncertain” context: “You can present your analyzes and proposals according to a comprehensive view and vision: in fact, decent work for people, the care of the common home, the economic and social value, the positive impact on the communities are interconnected realities”.

(With information from Vatican News)

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)