UN official: Decades of development progress now reversed

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The head of the U.N. body promoting development is warning that the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and the war in Ukraine have led to “an unprecedented reversal” of decades of progress in combatting global poverty and hunger and ensuring education for children everywhere. Collen Kelapile, who is president of the Economic and Social Council, said there is growing concern that funding for critical U.N. development goals including ending extreme poverty and hunger by 2030 might be neglected by Western donor nations supporting Ukraine militarily and financially in its war against Russia. He said ECOSOC’s message is: Don’t forget other challenges.