The Apostolic Chair at the United Nations: a new model for medium income countries

Guglielmo Gallone – Vatican Ciudad

Medium income countries are “an essential element in the global economy” and includes the majority of world population who live in poverty. This is what was delivered by Archbishop Gabriel Kashia, the permanent observer of the Apostolic Chair before the United Nations, in his speech on the first of April at the high meeting allocated to these countries as part of the 2030 agenda for sustainable development.

Clear prosperity

Despite the generation of nearly a third of the global GDP, these countries have made it clear that Monsignor Kakia often faces serious structural obstacles that prevent their growth and undermine its inhabitants. Its economic prosperity is hidden in the apparent inequality and deep vascender, associated with phenomena such as conflicts, economic instability, climate change, and increasingly frequent and violent natural disasters.

GDP is not enough

One of the main problems, which highlighted the Vatican representative, lies in the criteria that are measured by development. “Only confidence in gross domestic product,” note, “is the neglect of many basic dimensions of human progress.” This approach not only provides a partial vision of reality, but also limits many countries to the reach of broad financing and forms of international cooperation, which prevents them from meeting the needs of real development. Therefore, “It is an urgent matter,” he continued Caccia, and has adopted alternative and more complete indicators, capable of reflecting the economic, social and environmental aspects of development. Only in this way it will be possible to ensure that international cooperation really adapts to the specific challenges facing medium -income countries.

Development financing

Another central topic that the representative of the Holy See is the development of development. “Investment is essential” so that these countries can develop their potential, but the increase in debt is at risk of disabilities. Therefore, he announced that the Apostolic Chair urges to increase the financial resources that can be accessed and not related to debt, to prevent the future of the entire population from being exposed to unsustainable payment mechanisms. In the future, the head of bishops referred to the next international conference to finance development as a strategic opportunity to review the standards of development evaluation and suggest innovative support tools. He concluded that what is required is a joint commitment to the “capabilities” of the intermediate -income countries, which enhances a growth model that does not leave any person who is truly sustainable for the entire human family.