In conjunction with the launch of the mid-2012 updated World Economic Situation and Prospects 2012, the Development Policy and Analysis Division (DPAD) of UN DESA is organizing a live chat on Facebook Friday 11 May from 10 am to noon, to answer questions about the world economy and the potential risks and challenges to economic growth in developing countries.

Despite scattered signs of improvement, the prospects for the world economy continue to be challenging. Oil prices rose sharply in 2011 and will likely remain elevated in 2012 and 2013; Jobs crisis continues, with global unemployment still above its pre-crisis level. In Europe, Governments will further tighten fiscal policy despite high unemployment and sluggish growth. What is the reason behind all those facts?

If you want to understand why and try to find solutions, join Rob Vos, Director of the Development Policy and Analysis Division of UN DESA, and his team of economists from the Global Economic Monitoring Unit for a live Facebook chat on Friday, May 11 2012 from 10am to noon EST, to talk about the world economy, in particular, how the current economic situation is affecting growth in developing countries.

You can post your questions in advance on our event’s page: http://on.fb.me/WESP2012update, or on Twitter, using #WESP2012 Questions will be answered on Friday.

The panel of economists will include: Grigor Agabekian (Commonwealth of Independent States and Europe),Clive Altshuler(Europe),Jeronim Capaldo (Latin America and the Caribbean), Matthias Kempf (Africa), Pierre Kohler (Western Asia ), Ingo Pitterle (East and South Asia), John Winkel (Africa).