From humanitarian crises and youth unemployment to climate resilience and development financing, many of todays global challenges pass through a single United Nations body that is quietly turning 80 this year.

The Ambassador of Nepal to the United Nations, Lok Bahadur Thapa, was on Thursday elected president of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at what he called a historic moment for his country and its enduring commitment to multilateralism.

As the deadline for the 2030 Agenda looms, ministers, experts, and civil society leaders from around the world will convene in New York next week for a high-level UN forum to fast-track action on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Established in 1945 under theUN Charter, theEconomic and Social Council(ECOSOC) was designed to ensure that peace and security would be backed by economic stability, social progress and international cooperation.

Eight decades after its first meeting in London in early 1946, ECOSOC remains a central if often working out of the spotlight engine of the UNs work on sustainable development.

A wide remit by design

ECOSOC is the primary forum within the United Nations for policy dialogue on global economic, social and environmental issues, bringing together Member States, UN specialized agencies and other partners to debate priorities, share evidence and agree on collective action.

Its mandate includes coordinating the work of regional economic and social commissions, functional commissions, expert bodies and UN funds and programmes, which deliver development assistance and policy guidance that affect peoples daily lives.

For people unfamiliar with the UN system, what sets ECOSOC apart is its practical reach. It helps guide how the UN responds to disasters, supports countries recovering from crises, and aligns international efforts to reduce poverty, create jobs and protect the environment.

ECOSOC is also responsible for following up on major UN conferences and summits, helping ensure that high-level commitments do not fade once the news cycles move on.

ECOSOC at 80: A milestone for global cooperation and sustainable development

ECOSOC 2026 session at a glance

President:Lok Bahadur Thapa (Nepal)

Elected on 31 July 2025, becoming the first representative of Nepal a least developed and landlocked developing country to serve as ECOSOC President.

Presidency priorities:Delivering better

• Transforming agriculture and food systemsto strengthen resilience and help end hunger.

• Digital entrepreneurship and youth engagement, harnessing the potential of youth populations.

• Climate action and resilience, with a specific focus on risks linked to glacier lakes and flooding.

• Reforming theinternational financial architectureto make it more inclusive and responsive.
• Using theECOSOCs 80th anniversary, to reflect on its role and future relevance

Click hereto read more.

Evolving with a changing world

Over time, ECOSOC has evolved to meet a changing global landscape. Its membership has expanded from 18 countries at its founding to54 today, with Member States elected by the General Assembly to overlapping three-year terms that ensure geographical balance.

General Assembly reforms over the past decade have reinforced ECOSOCs coordinating role within the UN system, sharpening its ability to identify emerging issues, promote innovation and integrate the economic, social and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.

Implementing the SDGs

A key focus of ECOSOCs current cycle is the implementation of the2030 Agendafor Sustainable Development, the UNs global blueprint to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all.

ECOSOC provides political guidance and oversight for this agenda through its annual programme of work, bringing ministers, senior officials, civil society leaders, academics and the private sector together around shared priorities.

At the heart of this work is theHigh-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development(HLPF), convened annually under ECOSOCs auspices. The HLPF reviews progress on theSustainable Development Goals(SDGs), including voluntary national reports from governments that take stock of progress and challenges.

UN Photo/Evan SchneiderDiscussions at the 2024 session of ECOSOC Youth Forum, the platform where young people can contribute to policy discussions at the United Nations through their collective ideas, solutions and innovations.

Seldom in the headlines

Unlike other main bodies of the Organization, such as the General Assembly and theSecurity Council, ECOSOCs meetings seldom make the headlines, but they reflect the complexity of modern global governance.

The humanitarian affairs segment brings together governments and partners each year to strengthen coordination in response to protracted and costly crises.

Other segments including operational activities, coordination and management guide the work of UN development agencies, review expert recommendations on topics from public health to geospatial information, and address country-specific or regional concerns requiring focused attention.

A bridge for civil society

ECOSOC also acts as a bridge between the UN and the wider world.

More than 3,200 non-governmental organizations hold consultative status with ECOSOC, giving them a formal channel to contribute expertise and on-the-ground perspectives to debates and decisions. Dedicated forums for youth, scientists, development partners and other stakeholders reflect a recognition that global problems require inclusive solutions that extend beyond governments alone.

UN PhotoDelegates meet during the second session of the Economic and Social Council in May 1946.

80 years old, but as vital as ever

As ECOSOC marks its 80th anniversary on 23 January 2026, its core mission remains unchanged: to foster cooperation in pursuit of shared economic and social progress.

In a world facing intersecting crises from climate change and inequality to humanitarian emergencies the Councils quiet work of coordination and consensus-building continues to shape how the international community responds, and why it still matters to people far beyond UN conference rooms.

Inside the ECOSOC Chamber

UN Photo/Rick BajornasA wide view of an ECOSOC meeting on the election of the executive board of a UN agency.

The ECOSOC Chamber at United Nations Headquarters in New York is the principal meeting room where the Council conducts its formal sessions, including high-level segments and ministerial discussions.

Architecturally significant, the Chamber was designed by Swedish architect Sven Markelius and inaugurated in 1952. It was comprehensively renovated in 2013 as part of the UN Capital Master Plan.

The Chamber features several symbolic design elements, including a set of large woven curtains known as , intended to evoke dialogue and the exchange of ideas central to ECOSOCs role as a forum for consensus-building among governments and global development partners.

One of the most striking features its unfinished ceiling. Exposed pipes and ducts were deliberately left visible to symbolize that the work of the United Nations and the pursuit of economic and social progress is never complete, but an ongoing collective effort.

Read more about the ECOSOC Chamberhere

Click herefor our coverage of the Economic and Social Council.

UN Photo/Evan SchneiderDiscussions at the 2024 session of ECOSOC Youth Forum, the platform where young people can contribute to policy discussions at the United Nations through their collective ideas, solutions and innovations.UN PhotoDelegates meet during the second session of the Economic and Social Council in May 1946.UN Photo/Rick BajornasA wide view of an ECOSOC meeting on the election of the executive board of a UN agency.