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 be guided by the motto, ‘Delivering Better,’ which he sees as “a pathway to restoring trust in multilateralism, bridging divides, empowering the most vulnerable, and translating commitments into action.”

Lok Bahadur Thapa, Permanent Representative of Nepal to the UN, was elected, by acclamation, to serve as President of ECOSOC for the 2026 session, succeeding Bob Rae, Permanent Representative of Canada.

Addressing the Council at the first plenary meeting of its 2026 session, on 31 July 2025, Thapa set his agenda for the rest of the session, which will run from 31 July 2025 to 31 July 2026. He outlined the meaning of his Presidency’s motto as encompassing the following focal areas:

  • Strengthening multilateralism and rebuilding trust among nations, and between institutions and the people they serve;
  • Accelerating the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
  • Ensuring effective coordination and coherence within the UN system;
  • Strengthening partnerships; and
  • Ensuring implementation and follow-up.

Thapa also identified five priority areas that, in his view, “respond to today’s global challenges and unlock transformative opportunities”:

  • Transforming agriculture and food systems to strengthen food security and rural resilience;
  • Fostering digital inclusion and youth entrepreneurship to accelerate SDG progress;
  • Advancing climate action and resilience, with a focus on mitigating glacial lake outburst floods and protecting vulnerable communities;
  • Supporting the mobilization of financing for development (FfD) through systemic reform and strategic partnerships; and
  • As ECOSOC marks its 80th anniversary, convening a commemorative event to reflect on its legacy and reaffirm its central role in shaping a more inclusive, resilient, and forward-looking multilateral system.

Among the notable processes that will form the backdrop of ECOSOC’s 2026 session, he highlighted: the review of the work of ECOSOC subsidiary bodies; the review of the UN High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) and ECOSOC’s strengthening by the 80th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA); the Third UN Conference for Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs) in August 2025; the Second World Summit for Social Development in November 2025; preparations for the UN 2026 Water Conference; and special meetings mandated to ECOSOC by various processes including the Fourth International Conference on Financing for Development (FfD4).

Amid complex and overlapping challenges, including climate shocks, economic instability, rising inequality, and geopolitical tensions, Thapa urged Member States to “reaffirm our collective belief in the power of multilateralism – not as an abstract ideal, but as a pragmatic tool for delivering better outcomes for all.”

Also during the 31 July meeting, the Council adopted its provisional agenda and elected its bureau. ECOSOC elected, by acclamation, Amar Bendjamaa (Algeria), Paruyr Hovhannisyan (Armenia), Wellington Darío Bencosme Castaños (Dominican Republic), and Héctor Gómez Hernández (Spain) as Council Vice-Presidents for the 2026 session. [UN Meeting Coverage] [UN News Story] [Working Arrangements for the 2026 Session of the Economic and Social Council]