WORLD LEADERS TACKLE AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY EVENT

WORLD LEADERS TACKLE AFRICA'S DEVELOPMENT NEEDS AT GENERAL ASSEMBLY EVENT New York, Sep 22 2008 10:10AM The General Assembly is convening a high-level meeting today on Africa's development needs, amid growing concerns that the continent is lagging behind other regions in the global campaign to halve poverty, illiteracy and other socio-economic ills by 2015.

A new report by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the issue shows that while most of Africa's economies are now growing more rapidly than they did a decade ago, the continent remains "off track" in its drive to achieve the anti-poverty targets that make up the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Cheick Sidi Diarra, the UN Special Adviser on Africa, told reporters last the meeting will be an "extraordinary opportunity" for Member States to assess actions taken by Africa, donor countries, the UN and the rest of the international community since African leaders adopted the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) – the blueprint for the continent's development – in 2001.

More than 160 countries, including many world leaders, are attending today's meeting, which will be opened by Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann.<font color="#CC0000" size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, sans-serif"><b>MORE TO FOLLOW</b></font>
2008-09-22 00:00:00.000

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