Welcome Address to Participants and Guests of the International Union of Economists’ Jubilee Meeting
Dear attendees and guests of the Jubilee Meeting,
I am happy to congratulate all of you with a momentous date – the 25th anniversary of the International Union of Economists (IUE).
The UN Information Center in Moscow has known the IUE for many years as the leading public organization, comprising competent economic scientists and practitioners, businessmen and public leaders from many countries of the world. Over two and a half decades, you have been successfully promoting economic reforms as a means for the world community development, working out and implementing the programs aimed at fostering and accelerating economic growth, as well as stabilizing the economic environment in a number of countries and regions. You have managed to establish effective information exchange and create favorable conditions for sharing the experience and knowledge on the most credible discussion sites of the world. The International Union of Economists successfully seeks and puts into practice new forms of cooperation in the socio-economic, scientific and technological spheres.
The IUE does its bit for the United Nations’ everyday activities – one of its key offices is located in the UN Headquarters building in New York. Due to a combination of merits, your organization has gained the status of General Adviser at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and associated status at the UN Department of Public Information (DPI).
It is gratifying to emphasize that the IUE activities are directly relevant to the present key priorities of the United Nations – establishment of more equal international economic relations, eradication of poverty, reduction of the gap between the rich and the poor, and achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDR) within the set timeframes, i.e. by 2030.
As you know, Sustainable Development Goals have largely replaced the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), though the latter agenda still includes a number of outstanding challenges. However, unlike the previous global strategies, SDR vehemently affirms that the social dimension of sustainable development is very important, integrating the economic, social and ecological aspects of the progress. The strategy of SDR appears to represent “new economic reality” for the United Nations at the present stage.
Obviously, there is work for everyone in the process of implementing the Sustainable Development Goals. The International Union of Economists will, no doubt, make a tangible contribution both to the debates devoted to possible ways of SDR implementation and the implementation process itself.
Let me wish to the Union new promising projects, creative activities, large-scale tasks and their successful implementation.