A UN report says the world economy faces the risk of a prolonged period of low growth amid multiple global crises.

The UN Under-Secretary-General for Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Li Junhua, said the current global economic outlook also presents an immediate challenge to delivering on the Sustainable Development Goals.

He said the global community must urgently address the growing shortages of funding faced by many developing countries, strengthening their capacities to make critical investments in sustainable development and helping them transform their economies to achieve inclusive and sustained long-term growth.