Full Report can be downloaded at: http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/wesp/index.shtml

World Economic Situation and Prospects
Executive Summary

2012

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Executive Summary
Global economic prospects for 2012 and 2013
The world economy is on the brink of another major downturn
The world economy is teetering on the brink of another major downturn. Output growth has already slowed considerably during 2011 and anaemic growth is expected during 2012 and 2013. The problems stalking the global economy are multiple and interconnected. The most pressing challenges lie in addressing the continued jobs crisis and declining prospects for economic growth, especially in the developed countries. As unemployment remains high, at nearly 9 per cent, and incomes stagnate, the recovery is stalling in the short run owing to the lack of aggregate demand. But, as more and more workers are out of a job for a long period, especially young workers, medium-term growth prospects will also suffer because of the detrimental effect on workers’ skills and experience. The rapidly cooling economy has been both a cause and an effect of the sovereign debt crisis in the euro area, and of fiscal problems elsewhere. The sovereign debt crises in a number of European countries worsened further in 2011 and aggravated weaknesses in the banking sector. Even bold steps by the Governments of the euro area countries to reach an orderly sovereign debt workout for Greece have been met with continued financial market turbulence and heightened concerns of debt default in some of the larger economies in the euro zone, Italy in particular. The fiscal austerity measures taken in response are further weakening growth and employment prospects, making fiscal adjustment and the repair of financial sector balance sheets all the more challenging. The United States economy is also facing persistent high