Ban Ki-moon Calls for Accelerated Progress for Development Goals

The 2015 deadline to acheive the UN's Millennium Development Goals is fast approaching. With 5 years to go, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has launched a new report entitled Keeping the Promise. It calls for more progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals. CRI correspondent Shen Ting has more.

Reporter:

Lowering extreme poverty, imporved school enrolment, access to clean water--these are just some of the Millenium Development Goals, or MDG's, that the UN hopes will be achieved in five years time.

Bank Ki Moon's new report highlights emerging challenges and oportunities, and lays out specific recommendations for action to boost progress towards the MDGs.

He stressed that progress has been uneven, and without an accelerated action plan several Goals are likely to be missed in many countries. In spite of this, he still expressed the confidence in achieving the MDGs.

"Despite hard economic times, despite lagging progress on many fronts, we can still achieve the Millennium Development Goals by our target date of 2015."

The report also highlights a number of countries that have made significant progress toards achiveing the goals. Several have brought Malaria rates under control and have provided increased access to HIV treatment – all themes included in the MDGs.

These successes are taking place in some of the poorest countries--that demonstrate that the MDGs are achievable with the right policies, adequate levels of investment, and international support.

"We do not need new pledges. If nations deliver on the financial commitments they have already made, we can achieve the goals."

The report also unveils a new action plan aimed at getting governments, civil society, private businesses, philanthropy and the multilateral system to act "efficiently, effectively and collectively."

Ban Ki-moon mentioned the high-level summit on the MDGs to be held in September in UN Headquarters in New York. He said the summit offers an opportunity "to keep our promise to billions of poor and vulnerable people".

He wished that the gathering will give a new impetus to the global partnership for development.

Shen Ting, for Beijing Hour, UN Headquarters in New York.