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ECOSOC at 80: Functions of the UN Economic and Social Council

21 January 20261 min read
INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRSECOSOC at 80:Functions of theUN Economic andSocial Council21 January 2026safalsetu.com

Why in the news

ECOSOC was due to complete 80 years on 23 January 2026, eight decades of coordinating global development effort.

About ECOSOC

PointDetail
RoleCentral forum for economic, social and environmental policy coordination and consensus-building
Established1945 by the UN Charter
First meeting23 January 1946, London

Key functions

  • Policy coordination: guides the UN development system, including specialised agencies and programmes.
  • SDG follow-up: reviews progress via the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF).
  • Civil society: grants consultative status to over 6,500 NGOs.
  • Governance: elects executive boards of agencies such as UNICEF, UNDP and UNHCR.

Exam angle

  • SDG review forum: HLPF.
  • First meeting venue: London, 1946.

Test yourself

1. Where did ECOSOC hold its first meeting on 23 January 1946?

The first meeting was held in London.

2. Through which forum does ECOSOC review progress on the Sustainable Development Goals?

SDG progress is reviewed via the HLPF.

3. ECOSOC elects the executive boards of which agencies?

The notes list UNICEF, UNDP and UNHCR.

This topic is part of Daily Current Affairs 18 & 19 January 2026 (31 topics).

All topics of the dayDay quizJanuary 2026

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