Secretary-General welcomes announcements in support of new African green revolution

 

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General warmly welcomes the recent, separate announcements by an alliance of the Rockefeller Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in support of a new African Green Revolution and the generous financial support of Mr. George Soros and the Open Society Institute for the Millennium Villages Project of the Millennium Promise Organization.

The two initiatives represent the kind of clear, practical support needed to help give Africans living in rural areas, where the needs are greatest, the tools and support needed to help feed themselves and their children, and pull themselves out of poverty.  The Secretary-General is particularly pleased to note that much of the work that will be done by both initiatives follows key recommendations by the UN Millennium Project that he commissioned and underpins the vision of an African Green Revolution that he has long championed and hopes to spend a significant portion of his time and energy after he leaves office to helping reach fruition.  He hopes that these far-sighted actions will encourage others to step forward and support the work by the United Nations and other partners in assisting African countries in their fight against the challenges of poverty, disease and hunger as they seek to meet all the Millennium Development Goals.

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For information media • not an official record