Poland Assumes Three-Year Term in the UN Economic and Social Council and addresses Future of Work in Special Meeting
24.01.2024
The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) commenced its new year with a special meeting centered on the theme: “The future of work: towards a productive, inclusive, and sustainable global society.” This gathering, hosted at the headquarters of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) in Santiago, Chile, spanned January 23-24, was the inaugural meeting of Poland's three-year term in the ECOSOC.
The dynamic landscape of labor markets is experiencing unprecedented transformation due to technological advancements, global economic integration, and the green transition. Recognizing the profound impact of these shifts, the special meeting, attended by Paula Narváez, President of ECOSOC, Chile's Foreign Minister, Alberto van Klaveren, as well as José Manuel Salazar-Xirinachs, Executive Secretary of ECLAC and representatives of ECOSOC members, sought to discuss opportunities and policy options to address the challenges posed by transforming labor markets.
Ambassador Krzysztof Szczerski, representing Poland, articulated the multifaceted challenges confronting labor markets globally:
“The last three years have been shaped by a combination of health, economic and geopolitical challenges, compounded by climate change and growing environmental pressures. While the green transition and Artificial Intelligence (AI) dominate the media headlines, other factors also reconfigure the global labor market, such as demographic change and rapid urbanization.”
Highlighting Poland's commitment to innovative solutions, Ambassador Szczerski showcased the country's progress in e-government, with significant advancements witnessed in e-health and e-tax services.
Referring to the green transition, Ambassador Szczerski indicated: “For a long time Poland has advocated that the concept of just transition should be at the heart of public policies that address climate change, which is more than an environmental crisis – it is a social crisis which compels us to embrace issues of inequality. Solidarity and just transition were the main themes of COP24 under Poland’s Presidency in 2018.”
Acknowledging a strong transformative force of urbanization which is reshaping the global labor market, Ambassador Szczerski described a close relation between rural-urban migration and the informal sector, which generates unstable and insecure jobs, as well as poor working conditions. “Informal workers are vulnerable, as they are unprotected by labor laws, and most lack basic social protection.”
In addition to addressing the future of work, the special meeting also celebrated the 75th Anniversary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago. The Commission, with a rich intellectual legacy in economic research, plays a pivotal role in fostering regional collaboration, elevating living standards, and serving as an inspiration.
The outcome of the meeting will be summarized by the President of ECOSOC, serving as valuable input for the 2024 High-Level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) and the UN Summit of the Future.
