Making the United Nations Relevant to all People– As delivered –
[translated from Spanish]
Statement by H.E. Mrs. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, President of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly
24 October 2018 | Geneva, Switzerland
UNCTAD Global Leaders Investment Summits, Geneva, Switzerland,
Photo/Pierre Albouy
Heads of State and Government,
Secretary-General of UNCTAD,
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen,
I thank you for the invitation to participate in this event, which takes place in a very special day, the United Nations Day, at its 73rd anniversary. Our way to celebrate this day is by making an Organization that is more relevant, efficient and close to the lives of peoples and their future.
For the General Assembly, which is the main forum for multilateral deliberations, technological changes are a window of opportunity to achieve the aspirations established in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
In this Agenda, States have acknowledged that alliances must be formed with all sectors if we are to achieve its objectives.
Investments are a key aspect of these alliances.
Investments enable the mobilization of technologies and financial resources to create decent employments, both of which are critical resources for developing countries, especially for the least developed.
Specifically, in order to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030, it will take 5 to 7 trillion dollars of annual investments in several sectors and industries. This is not a small figure, but with everyone’s commitment we can achieve this goal.
I would like to point out three matters related to the topic that gathered us here today.
First, the private sector plays an important role in achieving full and productive employment and decent work for everyone by 2030.
In order to achieve this goal, 600 million new employments must be created, which will require investments that entail both quality and responsibility.
To be able to seize these emerging employment opportunities, especially in developing countries, people must be prepared in using and making the most of new technologies.
Hence, the private sector can collaborate with Governments investing in education, training and developing capabilities in the fields of science, technology, communications, engineering and mathematics.
Investing in small and medium-sized enterprises is particularly important, since they represent 60 and 70% of the sources of employment around the world.
A unique aspect of this new industrialization era is the automation of work.
According to some calculations, automation would eliminate 75 million employments for the year 2022. However, it would also create 133 million new employment opportunities. Evaluating this situation, new technologies gives us opportunities that must be taken, so that they include, not exclude; and increase, not reduce, our expectations of the future of work.
Second, low carbon technologies are fundamental in our collective fight against climate change, especially in order to limit global warming to 1,5 degrees Celsius.
I believe that in this area there is great potential in both the private and the public sector. That potential must be unlocked not only because of the earnings that it could generate in monetary terms, but also because it is an intelligent investment that benefits everyone.
The energy sector is an important market niche. Globally, more than one billion people still do not have access to electrical power. Investing in clean, affordable energy sources that allow responding to this need will bring, undoubtedly, great economic benefits to the ones who have the vision to do so.
Third, gender-oriented investments are crucial for the economies to reach their full potential.
Through investments, we can broaden employment opportunities for women and empower them economically: for instance, it would be a good idea to facilitate women’s entrepreneurship in small and medium-sized companies, but we also need to have more women in decision-making positions in the private sector. Nowadays, these numbers are extremely low.
And also, new technology in the financial sector, could represent a paradigm shift in the financial inclusion of women, particularly, rural women and women who live in poverty, who generally do not have access to traditional financial services.
In economic terms, perpetuating inequality between women and men is very expensive; it hinders the full participation of women in all economies and it limits the growth of all countries.
On average, women earn 23% less than men; and out of the 500 largest companies in the world, less than 5% have female CEOs. Furthermore, adverse work environments halting professional advancement; sexual harassment; gender stereotypes and limited access to technologies are just some examples of the obstacles that still, in the 21st century, are faced by women in all countries, without exception.
Governments, the private sector and society as a whole, must acknowledge these realities and correct them with a sense of urgency. We have an extraordinary opportunity to make the Fourth Industrial Revolution the revolution of women!
To conclude, I would like to mention that we are aware that technological change implies a great potential to solve many of the most urgent problems of the world and the challenges that could arise along the way.
We must work towards a common vision of the future of humanity, a future for all of us where no one is excluded.
The new era of industrialization must be a turning point for humanity to create positive changes that will transform the lives of current generations and help preserve the future of new generations.
Thank you.
