Global development our ‘first line of defence’: Marcos Neto warns ‘multilateral system under strain’ – Spotlight
François Picard is very pleased to welcome Marcos Athias Neto, UN Assistant Secretary-General & UNDP Assistant Administrator. In the view of Mr. Neto, the world today is experiencing a profound crisis of development. Global development should not be understood as a secondary or charitable concern, he explains, but as the foundation of global stability itself. In an era defined by geopolitical tensions, climate disruption, and economic uncertainty, development is no longer simply a “soft power”, it has become the “first line of defense” against instability.
Energy security, reconstruction, and digital transformation are all interconnected elements of this broader development challenge. While current geopolitical crises highlight the vulnerabilities of global energy systems, they also reveal an opportunity: the transition to renewable energy can simultaneously strengthen energy security, create jobs, and build more resilient economies. Yet the global system is under strain, warns Mr. Neto. Official development assistance is declining, multilateral cooperation is being tested, and technological change risks widening global inequalities. If two billion people remain disconnected from the internet, conversations about artificial intelligence governance will remain irrelevant to large parts of the world. For the UN Assistant Secretary-General, the path forward requires renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation, strategic investment in jobs and supply chains in developing countries, and policies that align climate action with economic development. If countries work together to expand opportunities in sectors such as green energy, digital infrastructure, and sustainable industry, development can once again become the stabilising force the world urgently needs.
