Market forces need to be joined to solidarity to alleviate poverty, says Holy See diplomat

July 17, 2015

At an international conference devoted to development financing, the Holy See’s leading diplomat at the United Nations said that “the solutions to global poverty and hunger cannot be left to market forces alone.”

“To eradicate poverty and hunger, in particular extreme poverty and chronic hunger, the sharing of science and technology, the acceptance of ethical values like solidarity and social justice to influence the market, and joint political will must all align themselves,” said Archbishop Bernardito Auza, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations.

“While acknowledging that [economic] progress has been made, we must also recognize that developing countries, in particular the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), still need support,” he added. “For that reason, both financial and non-financial development commitments should remain, be enhanced wherever necessary and be fulfilled.”

 

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Further information:

• Holy See: Solution to global poverty cannot be left to market forces alone (Vatican Radio)
• UN conference in Ethiopia calls for global finance reform (AP)
• Third International Conference on Financing for Development (UN)