About the WESS

The World Economic Situation and Prospects (WESP) serves as the United Nations’ definitive report on the state of the world economy. The World Economic and Social Survey focuses on specific medium- to long-term development challenges. Since 2005, the Survey has devoted itself entirely to specific themes of topical interest related to development. It provides objective analyses of pressing long-term social and economic development issues and discusses the positive and negative impact of corresponding policy prescriptions.

Buy a Print Copy

Mandate

In 1947, a mandate by the General Assembly requested the Secretary-General to submit annual reports on current world economic conditions and trends to the Economic and Social Council. The following reports were produced as a result of this mandate: Economic Report: Salient Features of the World Economic Situation from 1945 to 1947; World Economic Report (1948-1954); World Economic Survey (1955-1993); and World Economic and Social Survey (1994-1998). In 1999, the report was split into two.

About DPAD

The Development Policy and Analysis Division (DPAD) in the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) is the main development research division of the United Nations Secretariat. The core functions of the Division are: (1) to monitor and analyse global economic trends and prospects; (2) to analyse long-term development issues and policies in the broad context of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; (3) to serve as the Secretariat for the Committee for Development Policy, a policy advisory body of the Economic and Social Council; (4) to provide capacity development for developing countries.