Global poverty-fighting commitments are more important than ever in a world facing economic, food and climate crises, said the report, “Strengthening the Global Partnership for Development in a Time of Crisis,†prepared by the UN's Millennium Development Goal MDG) Gap Task Force.
The report highlighted a gap of $35 billion per year on the 2005 pledge on annual aid flows made by the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized countries in Gleneagles, including a $20 billion annual shortfall on commitments to Africa.
“In times of growth we achieved a great deal,†said Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro at the launch of the report at UN Headquarters in New York. “Now the world must show that it can also make progress under adverse conditions - when the poor, the hungry and the vulnerable need us most.â€
Speaking as world leaders prepare for next week's annual high-level debate at the General Assembly in New York and the summit in Pittsburgh, United States, for the Group of 20 (G20) leading economic nations, Ms. Migiro underscored the impact of the global recession, food shortages, an expected spread of influenza pandemic this year and climate change as barriers to realizing the MDGs.
The MDG Gap Task Force was created by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to track global commitments on aid, trade and debt, and to follow progress on access to essential medicines and technology.#
WORLD FALLING SHORT ON PLEDGES TO LIFT PEOPLE OUT OF POVERTY
Special correspondent - 2009-09-17 12:27
New York: Governments are falling well short of the financial commitments made to help developing countries climb out of poverty and meet other internationally agreed goals aimed at combating hunger and a host of other social and economic by 2015, according to a new United Nations report.