Willemstad / New York, — The Social Economic Council (SER) of Curaçao delivered a keynote speech on behalf of AICESIS—the International Association of Economic and Social Councils and Similar Institutions—on July 23 during the ministerial segment of the U.N.’s High-Level Political Forum (HLPF), convened under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) at the U.N. headquarters in New York. As current chair of AICESIS, SER Curaçao used the occasion to advocate global attention for inclusive, sustainable, and science-based strategies aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In his remarks delivered in his capacity as director-general of SER Curaçao, Mr. Raul Henriquez underscored the necessity of reinvigorated multilateral cooperation. He called on member states to renew their commitment to five priority SDGs—good health and well-being (SDG 3), gender equality (SDG 5), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), life below water (SDG 14), and partnerships for the goals (SDG 17).
Although considerable progress is evident, persistent inequalities remain, requiring a coordinated, scientifically informed response. The speech was based on a position paper analyzing the experiences of AICESIS members Brazil, Cameroon, Chad, Morocco, and Zimbabwe. It featured illustrative cases such as successful healthcare reforms in Morocco and improvements for vulnerable groups in Brazil, while also acknowledging structural challenges including child marriage, informal labor, and the lack of economic integration among young people—those classified as NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training)
In addition to the plenary presentation, the AICESIS delegation held bilateral talks with Brazil’s Permanent Mission to the U.N., led by Mr. Lavito Person Motta Bacarissa, Executive Secretary of Brazil’s National Commission on the SDGs within the Presidency of the Federative Republic of Brazil. During that meeting, it was confirmed that Brazil’s socio-economic council, the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (CDES), will join the AICESIS governing board effective November 1, 2025.
This development reflects Brazil’s growing engagement within the AICESIS network and underscores Latin America’s expanding role in the organization’s sustainability agenda. To strengthen the regional ties with the internationally influential Brazil, Ms. M. Sboui-Racamy, Vice-Secretary General of AICESIS for the Latin American and Caribbean region and Senior Advisor at the SER of Curaçao, was part of the delegation.
The delegation also paid a courtesy visit to Ambassador Mr. Lok Bahathapa, Nepal’s Permanent Representative to the U.N. and Vice President of ECOSOC for its 2025 session—a post to which he was elected in July 2024. Discussions previewed the period during which Nepal, under Ambassador Bahathapa’s leadership, will assume the ECOSOC presidency, succeeding current President Ambassador Mr. Bob Rae of Canada.
The meeting marked the beginning of what AICESIS sees as a strategic partnership with the incoming ECOSOC leadership, positioning the association to engage more directly in global socio-economic policymaking.
Through its combined presence in the plenary debate and its strategic diplomatic engagements, the SER of Curaçao—as chair of AICESIS—reinforced the relevance of socio-economic councils within international governance.
The events demonstrated how smaller institutions can harness diplomatic networks and knowledge exchange to influence global policy on social inclusion, economic justice, and sustainable development.
