AT STAND UP AGAINST POVERTY EVENT, DEPUTY SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS ‘BREAK THE RECORD

OF BROKEN PROMISES’; TIME IS RUNNING OUT TO MEET MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Following is the text of UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro’s remarks at the Stand Up Against Poverty event in London on 17 October:

Good afternoon, everyone, and thank you all for standing up against poverty today.  Let me also thank all those who have brought us together -- the Global Call to Action, United Nations Association-United Kingdom, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) United Kingdom, all the non-governmental organizations and faith groups.

Today, we join millions of people around the world in standing up for the Millennium Development Goals -- our common vision for building a better world in the twenty-first century.

These eight Goals were adopted six years ago by all the world’s Governments.  There is no time to lose if we are to reach the Goals by the target date of 2015.

We know it can be done.  Just past the midpoint to 2015, we can take heart in the progress that has been made on many fronts.  Globally, if current trends are sustained, the target on reducing poverty will be met for the world as a whole and for most regions.

But, our collective record is mixed.  Many countries are still off track, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.  Globally, almost 1 billion people live on less than $1 a day.  Some 72 million children of primary school age are not in school, most of them girls.  Every day, almost 27,000 children die of poverty.  Nearly 500 people are infected with HIV every hour.

We can, and must, do more.

Poverty can be eradicated only if Governments of both developed and developing countries live up to their promises.  The key lies in combining strong Government leadership, good policies and practical strategies for scaling up public investments in vital areas with adequate financial and technical support from the international community.

In other words, it lies in strengthening the partnership between developing and developed countries -- the pact that forms the lifeblood of the Goals.

That means developing countries have the primary responsibility for increasing literacy, improving health services and promoting gender equality.  They have the responsibility for scaling up investments and putting into place policy frameworks to support them.

But it also means developed countries have the responsibility for providing more, better quality and more predictable official development assistance, and to work towards a genuine Development Round in the Doha trade negotiations.

Above all, it means breaking with business as usual.  It means much greater political will.

That is why your presence here is so important.  Today, people around the world are trying to set a record for the greatest number standing up against poverty and for the Millennium Development Goals; but the record we really want to break is the record of broken promises.  By standing up and speaking out, you are telling Governments around the world that time is running out.

So let us all stand firm -- not only today, but every day -- until we reach the Goals.  Thank you very much.

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For information media • not an official record