Ending Poverty: Then & Now. Kofi Time with Alicia Bárcena, Episode 8 Part 2

In the second part of our episode on eradicating poverty, Ahmad Fawzi welcomes special guest Alicia Bárcena. Together, they dive deeper into the challenges undermining the eradication of poverty.

How can we incentivize resource redistribution to promote solidarity and build a ‘care society’? How can we push forward the development agenda and make poverty history?

In Kofi Time episode 8, part 2, podcast host Ahmad Fawzi welcomes Alicia Bárcena, former Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, to continue the discussion on eradicating poverty.

Alicia and Ahmad deplore weakened multilateralism, the lack of political will and the economic policies that can undermine development progress. They discuss the need for collective action and a comprehensive vision of tackling poverty

Alicia stresses the need for a ‘care society’ that cares for the planet, people, and public goods.

In an age of unprecedented wealth and technical progress, how can we promote solidarity and redistribute resources? How can Kofi Annan’s spirit inspire us to push development further and finally make poverty history?

Alicia Bárcena Ibarra
Alicia Bárcena Ibarra” by EneasMx is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Alicia Bárcena is the former Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) (2008-2022). She had previously served as the Under-Secretary-General for Management at United Nations Headquarters in New York, Chef de Cabinet and Deputy Chef de Cabinet to the former Secretary-General, Mr Kofi Annan.

Alicia Bárcena held the post of Deputy Executive Secretary and Director of ECLAC’s Environment and Human Settlements Division. Prior to her time at ECLAC, Ms Bárcena served as Co-ordinator of the Latin American and Caribbean Sustainable Development Programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), responsible for the Environmental Citizenship Project at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Alicia Bárcena was the Founding Director of the Earth Council in Costa Rica, a non-governmental organization in charge of the follow-up to the agreements reached at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1992.

Ms Bárcena has published numerous articles on sustainable development, public policy, environmental issues, and public participation. Alicia Bárcena holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM, in Spanish), as well as a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University. She has completed a Master’s degree in Ecology and has initiated studies for a PhD degree in Economics at the UNAM.

She has been awarded honoris causa doctorates from the University of Oslo, Norway, in September 2014, the University of Havana, Cuba, in March 2016, and the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in September 2019. In July 2015, she was appointed by the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) as an extraordinary teacher to collaborate at the Economics School and other entities. On 1 October 2014, she received the Medal 2013 in International Relations from the University of Anáhuac.

Regarded as one of the modern world’s icons of diplomacy, what is Kofi Annan’s legacy today? What can we learn from him, and how can we prepare for tomorrow based on his vision for a better world?

In this exclusive 10-part podcast, Ahmad Fawzi, one of Kofi Annan’s former spokespersons and Communication Advisor, examines how Kofi Annan tackled a specific crisis and its relevance to today’s world and challenges.

Kofi Annan’s call to bring all stakeholders around the table — including the private sector, local authorities, civil society organisations, academia, and scientists — resonates now more than ever with so many, who understand that governments alone cannot shape our future.

Join us on a journey of discovery as Ahmad Fawzi interviews some of Kofi Annan’s closest advisors and colleagues, including Dr Peter Piot, Christiane Amanpour, Mark Malloch-Brown, Michael Møller, Mark Suzman, Alicia Bárcena and more.

Listen and follow us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and SoundCloud

Brought to you by the Kofi Annan Foundation and the United Nations Information Service.

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