Poverty eradication remains “the greatest global challenge” to the 2030 Agenda and a prerequisite for advancing sustainable development, senior United Nations officials and Member States stressed today as the Second Committee (Economic and Financial) addressed the issue alongside agricultural development and food security.
Charles Katoanga, Director of the Division for Inclusive Social Development of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, introduced Secretary-General’s report “Implementation of the Third United Nations Decade for the Eradication of Poverty (2018–2027)” (document A/81/285).
Despite significant progress, “1 in 10 people worldwide continue to live in extreme poverty”, he emphasized, with only one in five countries on track to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 1.2 of halving national poverty rates by 2030.
Children account for more than half of people living in multidimensional poverty, while unequal access to education, healthcare, social protection and decent work can perpetuate disadvantages across generations. Further, 61 active conflicts involving at least one State in 2024 — the highest number since 1946 — continue disrupting economic activity and worsening food insecurity. The annual SDG financing gap exceeds $4 trillion while official development assistance (ODA) declined by 23.1 per cent in real terms in 2025 — “the largest annual contraction on record”, he stated.
Tackling Structural Inequalities, Rural Poverty
He called for action to reduce structural inequalities and strengthen international cooperation, including the Sevilla Commitment, enhanced domestic resource mobilization, fulfilment of ODA commitments and action to address debt vulnerabilities.
Máximo Torero, Chief Economist of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), introduced the report “Eradicating rural poverty to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development” (document A/81/294), noting that “poverty remains overwhelmingly rural”. In 2026, an estimated 826 million people are living in extreme poverty, with three quarters residing in rural areas, as do 83.5 per cent of 1.1 billion people in multidimensional poverty.
Inadequate access to productive land is both a driver and symptom of rural poverty — of the 570 million farms around the world, 85 per cent are smaller than 2 hectares and account for only 9 per cent of all agricultural land. With 91 per cent of agricultural employment still informal, he called for secure legitimate tenure rights and equitable access to land, particularly for women, young people, small-scale producers and Indigenous Peoples.
He also introduced “Agriculture development, food security and nutrition” (to be issued as document A/81/420).
Industrial Development, Tourism, Women’s Empowerment
Ralf Bredel, Director and Representative of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) to the UN, introduced the report on “Industrial Development Cooperation”, as transmitted in a note in document A/81/126, stressing the “recognition that industrial development is a key enabler of the 2030 Agenda” — generating jobs and strengthening domestic productive capacity.
Also presenting were Dirk Glaesser, Director of Sustainable Tourism and Resilience at the World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism), introducing the report “Promotion of sustainable tourism, including ecotourism, for poverty eradication and environment protection” (document A/81/278/Rev.1); and Venge Nyirongo, Chief ad interim, Economic Empowerment Section at the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN-Women), who introduced “Women in Development” (document A/81/244).
With the floor opened for debate, the representative of Uruguay, speaking for the Group of 77 and China, voiced deep concern that 2020–2030 is set to constitute “a lost decade for poverty reduction”, with ODA falling to 0.26 per cent of donors’ gross national income. Calling for increased foreign investment, concessional finance and long-term funding, he reaffirmed that agriculture remains central to sustainable development and poverty eradication, “particularly in developing countries”.
The Gambia’s delegate, speaking for the Group of Least Developed Countries, noted that nearly one third of those populations live under the international poverty line, a “stark disparity” underscoring “the structural nature of poverty”. While gross domestic product (GDP) per capita growth in least developed countries recovered 1.5 per cent from the contraction in 2021, this remains well below the global rebound of 5.5 per cent in 2021 and 1.9 per cent in 2024.
Making Nutritious Food Affordable, Addressing Barriers
Speaking for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the representative of Viet Nam noted that about 14 per cent of those populations still experience food insecurity, while nearly one third cannot afford a healthy diet. “Our collective responsibility” beyond increasing food production must be to ensure that nutritious food is affordable, he affirmed.
Jamaica’s delegate, speaking for the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), cited an initiative to reduce the region’s food import bill by at least 25 per cent by 2025. Despite increased production and decreasing undernourishment, progress is insufficient, requiring development financing and tariff reform. Prioritizing investment in irrigation research and local processing, Namibia’s representative, speaking for the African Group, stated: “A farmer’s efforts must not be lost because water is unavailable, a harvest cannot be stored or markets remain out of reach.”
The representative of Timor-Leste, speaking for the Community of Portuguese-speaking Countries, emphasized the need to promote decent work, improve training and combat inequalities — increasing participation by women and young people, including recognizing and reducing unpaid care work. Australia’s delegate, also speaking for Canada and New Zealand, noted that poverty “does not affect everyone equally” and responses must address structural barriers facing women, youth, Indigenous Peoples and persons with disabilities and advance gender equality.
Conflict, Coercive Measures Threaten Progress
Cuba, speaking for the Group of Like-Minded Countries, denounced unilateral coercive measures harming those States, with the United States blockade of his country now including “an energy siege” affecting electricity generation and food production. Those measures, driving untold suffering and crimes against humanity, impede economic and social development.
Libya’s delegate, speaking for the Arab Group, further noted the risk of Middle East conflict plunging another 4 million people there into poverty. He called for Iran to refrain from actions and threats that impede freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz or Bab al-Mandab, with Bahrain’s representative — speaking for the Gulf Cooperation Council — warning that transit through the Strait dropped by more than 95 per cent during the crisis. This plunge has “direct repercussions for food security”, he stressed, condemning the “heinous Iranian attacks” on those territories.