GENEVA,Switzerland, Oct 4 – UN Secretary‑General António Guterres’ remarks to the opening ceremony of the fifteenth session of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD 15), today:
I want to thank Prime Minister [Mia] Mottley and all Barbadians for so warmly welcoming us and in particular, I will never forget, the wonderful day that Prime Minister Mottley gave me yesterday, showing me the enormous effort that her Government is making in order to make sure that Barbados is able to defeat COVID, to defeat climate change, and to defeat inequality in the world. And I also would like to thank everyone who is part of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
A gathering like this comes only once every four years. UNCTAD 15 is the Olympics of trade, development, investment, policy and technology discussions. And we need your advice and guidance today, more than ever. Two weeks ago, at the United Nations General Assembly, I had the opportunity to sound the alarm – a wake‑up call to the leaders of the world – a call to action to tackle the cascade of crises facing us: poverty and inequalities; conflicts and climate change; environmental degradation and disasters;, mistrust and division; and of course, the COVID‑19 pandemic, which has claimed almost 5 million lives so far.
The pandemic has wreaked havoc across the global economy. It disrupted the powerful economic engines of trade, manufacturing and transportation. Millions of jobs have been lost at a time when social protections remain out of reach; 120 million people fell into poverty last year; 811 million are going hungry; tens of millions of children remain out of school — particularly girls. And for the first time in two decades, the human development index has declined.
We’re moving in the wrong direction. Decades of hard‑won development progress are slipping away before our eyes. And the Sustainable Development Goals are at risk of failure. We need to turn this around with a bold, sustainable and inclusive global recovery. One that benefits the many, rather than the few. One that delivers hope to people — and healing to our planet. And one that levels the playing field for all countries as they support their people during this extraordinary moment in history.
There is seemingly good news. Some estimates show that we’re in the midst of a substantial economic recovery, with world gross domestic product (GDP) growth ranging between 5 and nearly 6 per cent. But we know the other side of that story. This recovery is not evenly shared. Advanced economies are investing nearly 28 per cent of their GDPs into economic recovery. For middle‑income countries, that falls to 6.5 per cent. And it plummets to 1.8 per cent for the least developed countries; 1.8 per cent of a very small gross domestic product. In all, more than 8 out of every 10 dollars in recovery investment is being spent in developed countries — not in the countries in greatest need.
An uneven recovery is leaving much of humanity behind. And until we get serious about vaccine equity, recovery will be stuck at the starting gate. Wealthy countries have far more vaccines than people. Yet more than 90 per cent of Africans have yet to receive their first dose. This is an outrage. And as variants take hold and spread, this is a recipe for disaster, threatening us all.
As I have said repeatedly, the world must mobilize behind a global vaccination plan with clear targets for every country. We need to dramatically ramp up vaccine production and get them into the arms of 70 per cent of people, in all countries, in the first half of 2022. But vaccines are the first step in a much longer race.
Your theme this year — “From inequality and vulnerability to prosperity for all” — captures the heart of the challenge. I see four glaring challenges, which — if not addressed — make any notion of prosperity for all a distant dream: debt distress; systems starved for investment; unfair trade; and a climate emergency that leaves small island developing States like Barbados perilously vulnerable.
The first challenge is the imperative to tackle debt distress. Left unchecked, debt distress is a dagger through the heart of global recovery. Countries cannot build back if they are held back. The international community has taken a few positive steps, but it is time for a quantum leap in support.
That is why today at UNCTAD 15, I am proposing an urgent four‑point debt crisis action plan. To start, we know national budgets are being stretched thin by COVID‑19, so we must push for an immediate expansion of liquidity for the countries in greatest need. I welcome the recent issuance of $650 billion in special drawing rights by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). But this support largely goes to the countries that need them least, as they are distributed according to the quotas. Today, I am calling for a substantial reallocation of unused special drawing rights, not a symbolic one, a substantial reallocation to vulnerable countries that need them — including middle‑income countries.
Second: we know countries are being crushed by debt service costs, so we need an extension and expansion of the G20’s Debt Service Suspension Initiative into next year. The Initiative — and the Common Framework for Debt Treatment beyond the Debt Service Suspension Initiative — have great potential to ease the debt crisis. But they are too limited in eligibility and time frame. Suspending debt service should be extended into next year and also made available to all countries that need it, including middle‑income countries.
Third: we know suspending debt payments will not be enough in many countries. They will need effective debt relief, involving both public and private creditors. I renew my call for a comprehensive strategy around reforming the international debt architecture — including debt restructuring or reduction, especially for middle‑income countries — to help them avoid deadly cycles of debt waves. We should look at innovative debt instruments like debt swaps, buy‑backs and exchanges.
Fourth and finally: we need private finance to help fill the gap. It is deeply unfair that rich countries can borrow cheaply and spend their way to recovery, while low- and middle‑income countries struggle to keep their economies afloat. We need to bring together the public and private sectors to develop innovative financing tools to accelerate the return of private investment to pre‑pandemic levels — which will, in turn, accelerate recovery. And we need to increase multilateral development bank assistance to lower risk and draw capital to bankable, job‑creating projects in communities that need them. Taken together, this debt crisis action plan can help ensure that no Government is forced to choose between servicing its debts and serving its people.
The second major challenge facing us is the need to get down to the business of a sustainable and equitable recovery for all. Around the world, COVID‑19 has starved all of the systems that support human development of needed investment. Without acceleration, we will not reach the Sustainable Development Goals. We need to help countries make bold investments in education, universal social protection, health care and decent work. We need to put people above profits, including through fair tax burdens, and ending tax evasion, money‑laundering, and illicit financial flows.
The G20 members, United Nations system, and international financial institutions should work together with the Organisation for Economic Co‑operation and Development (OECD) to follow through on the recent progress towards a global framework for corporate taxation. It’s time to move to implementation, and ensure that taxes benefit people in places where economic activity actually happens – in communities, not distant boardrooms.
The third challenge is to reignite the engines of trade and investment, and ensure they benefit the poorest countries. COVID‑19 has put the brakes on the contribution of trade to economic growth. The trade‑to‑GDP ratio remains below pre‑pandemic levels. The pandemic also derailed investment, with foreign direct investment plunging by 35 per cent last year. And in its current state, the global trade system remains heavily stacked against the poorest countries. They are victims of unfair trade rules and barriers, unpredictable commodity prices, outdated infrastructure and transportation systems, and lack of access to digital tools.
We need open and fair trade rules, so all countries can compete on a level playing field no matter their position on the development ladder. We also need to help developing countries modernize their infrastructure and trade flows, reducing costs and increasing efficiencies. This is vital to support their transition to green economies grounded in sustainable and renewable energy. It includes modernizing transportation — especially the shipping industry, which transports 80 per cent of global merchandise. Automation and digital solutions can reduce bottlenecks and help this vital industry decarbonize.
Which brings me to the fourth major challenge facing us: the need to build a global green economy. Small island developing States like Barbados are looking to the future with worry. And increasingly, to the global community with a cynical eye. For good reason. They hear the words, but do not see the actions behind them. We often act as if we have another planet waiting for us. We don’t.
A green and resilient recovery means committing to net‑zero emissions by mid‑century. More ambitious 2030 climate and biodiversity plans — COP26 [Twenty‑sixth Session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change] in Glasgow must keep the 1.5 degree Celsius goal of the Paris Agreement alive. No new coal plants. Phasing out subsidies for fossil fuels and polluting industries. Putting a price on carbon, and channelling that back to schools, hospitals, social protections and job creation. And supporting developing countries as they make the shift to green economies — by implementing the promise to provide at least $100 billion every year from the developed countries.
For countries like Barbados on the front lines of the climate crisis, adapting and building resilience is not a luxury — it is an urgent priority. Right now, adaptation remains the neglected half of the climate equation, accounting for only 25 per cent of climate finance in support of developing countries. Small island developing States only receive a fraction of the funding that goes to developing countries for adaptation — less than 2 per cent in 2019. Small island developing countries, the most impacted by climate change, received less than 2 per cent in 2019 of the support to the developing countries. So, today, I repeat my call to donors and multilateral development banks to allocate at least 50 per cent of their climate support towards adaptation and resilience.
We need leadership. Countries cannot wait for others to make the first move. Developed and developing countries alike have a responsibility to act. The fossil fuel economy is itself becoming a fossil, one that has left its imprint on our Earth for too long. It’s time to shift our support to building a sustainable green economy.
As Prime Minister Mottley reminded the world in her stirring address at the General Assembly last week: “We have the means to give every adult a vaccine. And we have the means to invest in protecting the most vulnerable on our planet from a change in climate. But we choose not to.”
It’s time to make better choices. Through your discussions at this Conference, we can explore new ways to learn from yesterday’s mistakes — and avoid repeating them. We can make progress to ending the inequalities that hinder sustainable growth and prosperity for all. And we can recover better together at this extraordinary moment in history. Thank you.
3月13日华盛顿报道，美国商务部今天发布的一份报告显示，受2025年秋季长达43天的联邦政府停摆拖累，美国经济去年10月至12月期间仅以迟缓的0.7%年化增速增长；这一数据较此前的初步估算大幅下调。 报告显示，作为衡量国家商品和服务产出的指标，美国国内生产总值（GDP）第四季度增速，比去年第三季度的4.4%和第二季度的3.8%大幅回落。此外，美国第四季度的实际数据仅为最初估算值1.4%的一半；而经济学家此前普遍预期，此次数据修正的方向应是上调，即显示出更为强劲的增长势头。 受联邦政府停摆的沉重打击，美国第四季度支出与投资骤降16.7%，直接拖累经济增长减少了1.16个百分点。就2025年全年而言，美国国内生产总值增长了2.1%。尽管这一增速表现稳健，但仍低于此前对2024年和2023年做出的2.2%的初步估算值。 在第四季度，美国消费者支出以2%的速度增长，较第三季度的3.5%有所放缓。剔除住房领域后的企业投资则以2.2%的稳健步伐增长，这可能反映出大量资金正涌入人工智能（AI）领域，但该增速仍低于第三季度的3.2%。 作为全球最大的经济体，美国经济在面对特朗普总统的一系列政策，包括大范围征收进口关税及大规模驱逐移民时，展现出了惊人的韧性。然而，由于对伊朗＂史诗狂怒行动”军事打击推高了油气价格，并给经济前景蒙上了一层阴影。 与此同时，美国的就业市场正陷入低迷。上个月，企业、非营利组织及政府机构共削减了9.2万个工作岗位。2025年以来，这些部门每月新增的就业岗位不足1万个，创下了自2002年以来，除去经济衰退年份最疲软的招聘增幅纪录。 经济学家们正试图研判：就业增长势头究竟会加速上行以追赶强劲的国内生产总值增长步伐；还是经济增速会放缓，从而反映出劳动力市场的疲软状况；抑或是人工智能与自动化技术的进步意味着，经济即便不创造大量就业岗位，也能继续高速向前发展。 美国商务部今天公布的美国国内生产总值数据，是关于第四季度经济增长情况的三次估算报告中的第二份。该最终报告将于4月9日发布。
3月12日华盛顿报道，白宫今天表示，随着伊朗局势持续演变，特朗普政府准备豁免《琼斯法案》（Jones Act），以放宽航运监管规定。 已有百年历史的《琼斯法案》规定，在美国各港口之间运输的货物，必须由美国建造、悬挂美国国旗并由美国船员操作的船只承运；此外，该法案还限制了美国国内航运商可使用的油轮数量。 白宫发言人莱维特（Karoline Leavitt）今天在一份声明中表示：“出于国防利益考量，白宫正考虑在有限的一段时期内豁免《琼斯法案》，以确保关键能源产品和农业必需品能够顺畅地运抵美国各港口。目前，这项举措尚未最终定案。” 据专家称，豁免该规则将允许外国船只在美国港口之间运输燃料，从而有助于缓解供应中断，并有望降低能源价格。 自2月28日特朗普总统发动“史诗狂怒行动”，与以色列共同袭击伊朗以来，石油和天然气价格一路飙升，不仅增加了驾车者的用车成本，还引发了通胀压力。 据FactSet数据显示，今年1月初徘徊在60美元附近的布伦特原油今天上涨8%，并一度突破了100美元。而作为美国基准原油的西德克萨斯中质原油（WTI）则飙升近9%，每桶高达95.02美元。 尽管特朗普政府与国际能源署3月11日宣布，该组织成员国将向全球能源市场总计注入4亿桶石油以提振供应，但能源价格依然持续飙升。 据美国汽车协会（AAA）的数据显示，受油价、税收及其他季节性因素影响的汽油价格，周四也呈上扬走势，触及每加仑3.60美元。这一价格较战事爆发前上涨了约60美分。
3月12日华盛顿报道，正值美国针对伊朗的“史诗狂怒行动”(Operation Epic Fury）进行之际，美国中央司令部（CENTCOM）今天宣布，一架美军加油机在伊拉克境内坠毁。“史诗狂怒行动”旨在打击伊朗与该地区有关的资产。 据中央司令部称，事件涉及2架在友军空域执行任务的美军KC-135加油机。其中一架飞机在伊拉克西部坠毁，另一架安全着陆。 中央司令部声称，此次飞机失事并非敌方火力或友军误伤所致。救援工作仍在进行中，美军尚未公布相关人员的数量和状况。 中央司令部在一份声明中表示：“随着事态发展，我们将提供更多信息。我们恳请大家继续保持耐心，以便我们收集更多细节，并为遇难军人家属提供明确的信息。” 与此同时，以色列国防军（IDF）军队今天完成了对黎巴嫩境内真主党基础设施的多轮打击。一名以色列官员今天证实，以色列国防军已完成对贝鲁特和黎巴嫩南部真主党基础设施的多轮打击。 该官员表示：“以色列国防军打击了多个真主党指挥中心，真主党恐怖分子正是利用这些中心策划针对以色列及其平民的恐怖袭击。” 以色列国防军表示：“真主党恐怖组织有系统地将其基础设施渗透到黎巴嫩各地的平民之中，再次体现了该组织肆意利用黎巴嫩平民进行恐怖活动的行径。” 以色列国防军称：“在打击行动之前，已采取措施降低对平民造成伤害的风险，包括提前发出预警、使用精确制导武器和空中侦察。” 美国总统特朗普敦促美联储“立即”降息，因为伊朗冲突的余波导致能源价格飙升。 特朗普在社交媒体平台“真实社交”上发帖说：“美联储主席‘迟到’·鲍威尔今天在哪儿？他应该立即降息，而不是等到下次会议。”特朗普总统用“迟到”这个绰号嘲讽鲍威尔。 特朗普总统曾一再强调美联储应该加快降息步伐，他认为降低借贷成本是促进经济增长和缓解家庭财务压力的关键。美联储官员则表示，这需要更明确的证据表明通胀正在降温。 包括巴林、沙特和阿联酋在内的多个中东国家都遭遇了伊朗发动的新一轮报复袭击，伊朗此举意在遏制美军利用驻该地区军事基地对伊朗的攻击。随着“史诗狂怒行动”的持续进行，该地区的紧张局势不断升级。又有一艘集装箱船今天在阿联酋迪拜附近遭到伊朗袭击。
3月12日伯纳利洛报道，美军空军退役少将麦卡斯兰（William N. McCasland）于2月27日离开他位于新墨西哥州阿尔伯克基的家，此后便杳无音讯。 美国联邦调查局（FBI）表示，正在协助当地警局搜寻该名于二月底从家中离开后失踪的空军退役少将。 美国空军表示，退役少将麦卡斯兰曾在美国空军和国家侦察局服役期间担任多个“太空研究、采购和作战职务”。这些职务包括在五角大楼担任主管级职位，以及在位于新墨西哥州柯特兰空军基地的菲利普斯空军研究实验室，以及位于俄亥俄州赖特-帕特森空军基地的空军研究实验室担任指挥职务。 伯纳利洛县警长办公室（BCSO）称，68岁的麦卡斯兰于2月27日离开位于新墨西哥州阿尔伯克基的家，此后便杳无音讯。 该警长办公室表示：“鉴于麦卡斯兰的背景和既有的合作关系，伯纳利洛县警长办公室正与包括联邦调查局阿尔伯克基分局在内的多个机构密切合作。” 随后，警方又更新消息称，“目前尚未发现任何谋杀或其他犯罪行为的证据。” 麦卡斯兰身高5英尺11英寸（约1.8米），体重160磅（约73公斤），白发蓝眼。伯纳利洛县警长办公室称，据信麦卡斯兰是步行离开家的。 警方表示：“尽管执法部门和社区共同努力，我们仍然不知道尼尔在2月27日离家后发生了什么。” 警方还表示：“我们的首要任务是确保麦卡斯兰先生的安全，我们请求公众协助，查看并保存该地区的任何监控录像，并立即报告任何相关信息。”