ECOSOC
United Nations Economic and Social Council
Matteo Capaccio &
Angela John
Committee Chairs
Topics
Topic 1
Question The question of addressing the economic disruption caused by automation and artificial intelligence
Description Examine the economic disruption caused by automation and artificial intelligence and its implications for global stability.
Topic 2
Question The question of reducing the global digital divide to ensure inclusive and stable technological development
Description Identify solutions to reduce the global digital divide and ensure inclusive technological development.
Countries
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Argentina is a federal republic with a history of economic volatility and a significant informal labour sector that is particularly vulnerable to automation-driven disruption. It supports international action on the economic consequences of AI and automation and brings a developing-country perspective focused on ensuring that technological change does not exacerbate existing inequalities. Argentina has engaged actively in UNCTAD and ECLAC processes on digital economy governance.
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Brazil is a federal republic with a large and unequal economy navigating both the opportunities of AI-driven growth and the risks of technological job displacement. It has a growing technology sector and active civil society engagement on digital rights and economic inclusion. Brazil tends to support international frameworks that address digital inequality and automation's social impacts while preserving national policy space to manage its own economic transition.
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China is a single-party state that has made artificial intelligence a core national strategic priority, investing massively in AI research, infrastructure, and deployment. It approaches automation and AI governance from a state-planning perspective, emphasising national competitiveness and technological sovereignty. China is cautious about international frameworks that could constrain its AI development or require transparency about how its systems operate, and it tends to focus ECOSOC discussions on the digital divide rather than on AI regulation.
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Denmark is a constitutional monarchy with one of the world's most advanced social welfare systems and a strong record on labour market adaptation. It has pioneered the "flexicurity" model, which combines labour market flexibility with strong social safety nets and active retraining programmes, making it well-positioned to advocate for managed transitions in the face of AI-driven job displacement. Denmark strongly supports international frameworks that ensure the benefits of automation are broadly shared.
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Ethiopia is a federal republic in East Africa and one of the world's most populous developing nations, with an economy heavily dependent on agriculture and low-skill manufacturing. It is acutely vulnerable to the disruption of global value chains by automation, which threatens the development pathway that many African nations have relied upon. Ethiopia strongly supports international frameworks to address the distributive consequences of AI and automation and advocates for targeted support to countries most at risk of technological marginalisation.
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Germany is a federal parliamentary democracy with a highly developed industrial economy that is deeply engaged with the opportunities and risks of automation and artificial intelligence. Its strong trade union tradition and codetermination model give workers institutional voices in how technology is adopted in the workplace. Germany supports international coordination on AI governance and digital inclusion, bringing a perspective shaped by the need to balance technological competitiveness with social cohesion.
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India is the world's most populous democracy with a large and growing technology sector and a vast population of workers in sectors vulnerable to automation. It approaches these issues with a dual interest: protecting its IT services export industry while also managing the risks of domestic job displacement. India supports international frameworks on digital inclusion and skills development but is cautious about regulatory approaches to AI that could disadvantage its technology sector.
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Indonesia is a presidential republic with a large and young population and a rapidly expanding digital economy. It supports international frameworks to reduce the digital divide and ensure that developing nations can benefit from technological change, and it approaches automation issues with a focus on workforce development and digital skills. Indonesia tends to seek pragmatic, development-oriented outcomes in ECOSOC negotiations.
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Japan is a constitutional monarchy with a sophisticated manufacturing economy facing acute labour shortages due to demographic decline, giving it a particular incentive to accelerate automation. It approaches AI governance from a perspective that emphasises human-centred technology design and supports international dialogue on automation's social impacts, while being cautious about binding frameworks that could affect its industrial competitiveness.
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Kenya is a presidential republic and a leading digital innovation hub in Africa, home to a thriving mobile money and fintech ecosystem. While it has benefited from digital economic growth, significant digital inequality persists between urban and rural populations. Kenya supports international frameworks to reduce the digital divide and is an advocate for ensuring that African nations can participate meaningfully in the AI-driven global economy rather than being left behind.
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Mexico is a federal republic whose large manufacturing sector, particularly in automotive and electronics, is significantly exposed to automation. It supports international frameworks to manage job displacement and has an interest in ensuring that the digital economy's growth does not further concentrate economic power in a small number of technologically advanced nations. Mexico brings a middle-income developing country perspective to these negotiations.
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Nigeria is a federal republic and Africa's largest economy, with a young and growing population and significant digital economy potential. It is acutely aware of the risks that automation poses to its manufacturing and services sectors and is a strong advocate for international frameworks that address the digital divide and ensure that African nations are not further marginalised by the AI transition. Nigeria supports capacity-building, technology transfer, and equitable digital development in ECOSOC.
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The Philippines is a presidential republic whose economy depends significantly on business process outsourcing and remittances from overseas workers, both of which are highly vulnerable to automation and AI displacement. It is one of the countries most directly at risk from AI-driven job losses in the near term and is a vocal advocate in international forums for policies that address this disruption. The Philippines supports robust international action on both automation's economic consequences and the global digital divide.
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Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy investing heavily in AI and digital transformation as part of its Vision 2030 economic diversification programme. It approaches ECOSOC negotiations on automation from a national development perspective, supporting AI investment while being resistant to international frameworks that could impose constraints on how it manages its own economic transition. Saudi Arabia is cautious about redistributive international mechanisms that could affect its sovereign wealth.
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Singapore is a city-state with an authoritarian-leaning government and a highly strategic approach to AI and digital economy development. It has positioned itself as a regional AI governance hub and supports frameworks that promote responsible AI development without imposing binding constraints on innovation. Singapore is particularly resistant to international obligations that could slow the deployment of automation technologies in which it has invested heavily.
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South Africa is a constitutional republic with very high unemployment rates and significant digital inequality between urban and rural populations. It supports international frameworks to manage automation's economic impacts and to expand digital access, viewing both as closely linked to its development goals. South Africa often speaks on behalf of the African continent in ECOSOC on issues of technological equity and economic inclusion
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South Korea is a presidential republic with one of the world's most technologically advanced economies, dominated by major conglomerates in electronics and manufacturing. It is a significant AI and automation investor and approaches ECOSOC negotiations from a competitive technology perspective, cautious about frameworks that could disadvantage its industries. South Korea supports digital inclusion goals in principle but is wary of measures that constrain technological deployment.
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The United Arab Emirates is a federation of hereditary monarchies with an ambitious national AI strategy and a government deeply committed to positioning itself as a global AI hub. It strongly supports AI development and deployment and resists international frameworks that would impose regulatory constraints on automation. The UAE's perspective is shaped by its model of state-directed technological modernisation rather than concerns about worker displacement.
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The United Kingdom has a major technology sector and has positioned itself post-Brexit as a global hub for AI development. It supports light-touch, innovation-friendly approaches to AI governance and has resisted more prescriptive regulatory frameworks. The UK acknowledges the economic disruption potential of automation but tends to favour domestic policy responses over binding international obligations.
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The United States is the world's leading AI and technology power, home to most of the dominant global technology companies. It broadly supports innovation-driven approaches to AI governance and is resistant to binding international frameworks that could constrain its technology sector or impose redistributive obligations. The USA emphasises voluntary commitments, skills investment, and market-driven solutions to automation disruption, and it is cautious about international frameworks that could impede American technological leadership.