UN General Assembly
2011

As there are increasing concerns over issues such as employment, food security, climate change and access to water, it is a matter of regret that trade talks that could give a boost to international trade, and therefore to economic security, are stalled. On a broader note, I must say that talks on trade and other economic issues, to the extent that they take place at all, are held in sectoral and often restricted forums. While the specialized nature of these negotiations, or of the scope of the matters being addressed by standard-setting organizations, may require dedicated sectoral frameworks, it is imperative that the international community ensures that those frameworks are legitimate ones, with universal membership. It is also imperative that, as an apex body, the United Nations have a holistic view on global economic, financial, trade and development issues. During the 1970s, the United Nations played a significant role in shaping the conceptual framework for a new international economic order. The United Nations has adopted a number of landmark resolutions that have laid the normative foundation for a more