On October 3, Archbishop Bernardito Auza, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations, gave an intervention during the Second Committee General Debate of the UN General Assembly. The Second Committee is concerned in general with economic and financial questions.

In his statement, Archbishop Auza said that political, cultural and social institutions across the world are being confronted with the effects of a global financial system centered more on money than on the human person, exacerbating situations of homelessness, inequality, polarization, and politicization. Short-term economic and political gain cannot come at the expense of integral human development. Political, economic and civil society leaders must build communities focused on the person and strive to help everyone live a peaceful, decent and healthy life. This involves social integration and inclusion, cooperation rather than cutthroat competition, and a holistic approach to the person’s needs in line with solidarity and subsidiarity. This is the path, he said, to the successful implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the foundation of the Global Compacts for Refugees and Migrants.

His intervention can be found here.