Buenos Aires/New York, 21 March 2018 - “Economic growth, macroeconomic and financial stability are a means to an end, namely advancing sustainable development of nations and leaving no one behind,” said UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner during the meeting of G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors ahead of the summit of the top 20 global economies, next November.

“Risks to our financial system such as conflicts, poverty and inequality, natural disasters, cybercrime or pandemics, will – if left unaddressed through international cooperation – continue to destabilise nations and the global economy. In the short term we must also consider the possibility of a renewed cycle of debt crises which could result in economic disruption, especially in those countries most vulnerable to shocks, such a least developed countries and small island developing states,” he added. “The UN System and UNDP will continue to support the national government to accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, especially in terms of financing.”

During his visit, Achim Steiner, who is also the Vice Chair of the UN Development Group, met with Vice President of Argentina, Ms. Gabriela Michetti; the Minister of Labor, Mr. Jorge Triaca; Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Daniel Raimondi, Min. of Foreing Affairs -MoFA-; Secretary of Coordination and Foreign Planning, MoFA, Amb. Ernesto Gaspari; Ministry of International Organizations, MoFA, Mr.Estanislao Zawels; Secretary of Environmental Policy, Mr. Diego Moreno; Climate Change Director, Ms. Soledad Aguilar; Min. of Justice and Human Rights, Mr. German Garavano; national legislators and provincial representatives. Mr. Steiner also met with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde, Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore, Tharman Shanmugaratnam, among other top officials.

Steiner highlighted the support and commitment of government agencies, the private sector, academia, the legislature, religious institutions and civil society to the 2030 Agenda. This is also reflected in the United Nations System and UNDP's cooperation work in Argentina, in the implementation of the 2030 Agenda, particularly in the eradication of poverty, access to basic services and key environmental issues such as climate change.

Latin America

With a new cycle of economic growth in sight, Achim Steiner added that Latin America has a crucial opportunity to diversify the economy while protecting its rich biodiversity.

He stressed the importance boosting opportunities for women in the workforce, since female participation in the labor market is currently at 53 percent, 27 points below that of men. This includes improving women’s participation in traditionally male-dominated industries and rethinking care systems, and promote social protection schemes. In Latin America, women dedicate three times more time to unpaid home care than men.

For more information and media requests, please contact:

In New York, Christina LoNigro, Press Secretary, United Nations Development Programme:
christina.lonigro@undp.org or Mob.: +1 917 607 9446;

In Buenos Aires, Virginia Garcia, Communications Associate, UNDP Argentina:
virginia.garcia@undp.org or Mob.: + 54 11 62531692.