The UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) has commenced a new annual cycle. In an inaugural statement, the incoming President of ECOSOC outlined his focus areas for the year. The President will work to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, put the SDGs back on track, and strengthen multilateralism and international cooperation and solidarity.

Amar Bendjama, Permanent Representative of Algeria to the UN, was elected, by acclamation, to serve as President of ECOSOC for the 2027 session, succeeding Lok Bahadur Thapa, Permanent Representative of Nepal.

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Addressing the Council at the first plenary meeting of its 2027 session, on 23 July 2026, Bendjama set his agenda for the rest of the session, which will run from 23 July 2026 to 22 July 2027. Noting that the world is at a critical juncture, marked by “deeply interlinked challenges,” including conflicts, poverty and hunger, inequalities, debt burdens, and climate pressures, he outlined three mutually reinforcing priorities that will guide his tenure:

• Inclusivity, paying particular attention to countries in special situations and creating space for all relevant stakeholders to ensure meaningful engagement;
• Accelerating SDG Implementation, to ensure balanced progress across all dimensions of sustainable development while focusing on: eradicating poverty and enhancing access to education; reducing inequalities and advancing financing for sustainable development; advancing collective environmental protection; and promoting digital transformation; and
• Renewing trust in multilateralism and strengthening the role of ECOSOC, by encouraging political engagement of all Member States and stakeholders, contributing to the UN80 reform process, advancing the mandated review of ECOSOC subsidiary bodies in 2027, and enhancing the working methods and efficiency of ECOSOC’s day-to-day operations.

Bendjama called upon all UN Member States to “work together in this last stretch before 2030,” underscoring that it is time for concrete and strong action, accelerated and integrated implementation, and concrete and tangible results that advance the 2030 Agenda and leave no one and no country behind.

In his address, outgoing President Thapa described ECOSOC as the central forum “where the world comes together to turn complexity into coherence, ambition into policy, and commitments into measurable results.”

Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development Navid Hanif expressed confidence that the Council will continue to be a “driving force” in advancing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Also during the 23 July meeting, the Council adopted its provisional agenda and elected its bureau. ECOSOC elected, by acclamation, Tofig Musayev (Azerbaijan), Salahuddin Norman Chowdhury (Bangladesh), and Juan Pablo Vegas Torres (Peru) as Council Vice-Presidents for the 2027 session. [UN Meeting Coverage] [UN News Story] [Working Arrangements for the 2026 Session of the Economic and Social Council]