Second Committee (Economic & Financial)
Topics
- The question of de-dollarisation and its impact on the global economy
- Managing free trade under the WTO in an era of rising national tensions
- Managing educational inequality its effects on economic development
Ambassador George Wilfred Talbot of Guyana, Chair of the General Assembly’s Second Committee. UN Photo/Rick Bajornas.
Background
Second Committee often is the scene of the greatest controversies in the UN. Responsible for economic, financial and environmental affairs, It is where Member States face some of the most challenging and practical problems of international governance, as they strive to find a balance between unlimited dreams for global development and the limits of Member States ability and willingness to provide money for those goals.
Second Committee strives to promote sustainable development for all Member States, rich and developing alike. Its focuses on issues related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Agenda 2030. Its mandate includes financing for development, managing the causes and consequences of climate change, interdependence and globalization, poverty eradication, food security, as well as communications and information technologies for development.
Like the rest of the General Assembly, Second Committee cannot force compliance on the sovereign Member States. It focuses instead on establishing goals—including financial and goals—that all Member States are expected to implement.