BAN PRAISES RISE IN SCHOOL ENROLMENT RATES IN LATIN AMERICA

BAN PRAISES RISE IN SCHOOL ENROLMENT RATES IN LATIN AMERICA New York, Sep 25 2008 8:10PM Latin America has posted impressive improvements in school enrolment rates, particularly among girls, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has told a gathering of countries from the region.

<"http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2008/sgsm11817.doc.htm">Speaking last night at the Ibero-American Dinner in New York, he said it was fitting that the Ibero-American Conference's next summit – to be held in El Salvador – will focus on youth and development, given the gains in school enrolment.

"That is a real contribution to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (<"www.un.org/millenniumgoals">MDGs)," he said, referring to the set of eight targets for slashing social and economic ills, all by 2015.

He also thanked Conference members for their commitment to boosting so-called South-South cooperation between developing nations and their increased participation in UN peacekeeping operations, particularly the world body's mission in Haiti (known as <"http://www.un.org/Depts/dpko/missions/minustah/">MINUSTAH).

The Ibero-American Conference comprises the Spanish- and Portuguese-speaking countries of Latin America and Europe, and also Equatorial Guinea in Africa.
2008-09-25 00:00:00.000

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