URGENT ACTION CRUCIAL FOR AFRICA TO MEET ITS DEVELOPMENT TARGETS - BAN KI-MOON

URGENT ACTION CRUCIAL FOR AFRICA TO MEET ITS DEVELOPMENT TARGETS – BAN KI-MOON New York, Mar 10 2008 1:00PM Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged scaled-up action – including raising agricultural productivity across Africa – so that the continent can meet the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by the target date of 2015.

This year could be "the year of opportunity for the 'bottom billion,'" Mr. Ban <"http://www.un.org/apps/sg/sgstats.asp?nid=3040">told reporters after chairing the second meeting of the so-called MDG Africa Steering Group in New York. "Tremendous gains are possible if the international community translates commitment to deliverables."

He pointed to examples of achievements made, such as Malawi's lowering of child mortality rates, Senegal's accomplishments in enhancing its water and sanitation facilities and Tanzania's improvements in primary education. "The challenge is now to replicate these successes in more countries," he observed.

Today's meeting identified several key programmes that need to be implemented in the near future, including launching an African "Green Revolution" to speed up economic growth and tackle hunger, control infectious diseases, provide comprehensive AIDS treatment and deliver emergency obstetric care to all.

The Secretary-General noted that there are several pressing challenges, especially that of rising food prices. It is essential to raise the productivity of farmers while also mobilizing resources to combat malnutrition and hunger, he said, adding that $500 million is required to meet the "most urgent needs."

Mr. Ban noted that on 25 September, he and the General Assembly President will convene a high-level meeting on the MDGs bringing together world leaders, civil society and the private sector. He voiced hope that this upcoming gathering will "make a real difference in bridging the implementation gap."

The MDG Africa Steering Group was set up last September after data showed that despite faster growth and strengthened institutions, Africa remains off-track to meeting the targets.

Also participating in today's meeting were: Donald Kaberuka of the African Development Bank; Alpha Oumar Konaré of the African Union (AU); Robert Zoellick of the <"http://www.worldbank.org/">World Bank; Louis Michel of the European Commission; Dominique Strauss-Kahn of the International Monetary Fund (<"http://www.imf.org/external/index.htm">IMF); Mohammed Ennifar of the Islamic Development Bank; and Angel Gurría of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (<"http://www.oecd.org/">OECD).
2008-03-10 00:00:00.000

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