formulate fresh approaches to existing challenges, Secretary-General’s video

message urges South-East Asian forum on promoting Millennium goals

Following is the text of United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message to the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Round Table on Promotion and Achievement of the Millennium Development Goals through Education and Outreach, in Bangkok, today, 24 March:

You are gathering to advance an epic struggle.  It is not for land or titles, but for basic human dignity and well-being.

The battle to achieve the Millennium Development Goals is changing our world -- though not fast enough.  With just seven years to go till 2015, our global scorecard is mixed; many regions remain off-track, particularly in Africa.

South-East Asia has fared comparatively better.  The number of people living in extreme poverty has fallen.  Child mortality rates have declined.  Primary school enrolment is high.

But even in your region progress has proved uneven, both between countries and across indicators.  Income disparities have grown.  Too many young children are underweight.  The environment is threatened.

You can help close these gaps.  By bringing together policymakers, experts and representatives of civil society, your gathering can tap into the experience and thinking of key development players.  It can formulate fresh approaches to existing challenges.  It can propose new educational and training tools.  It can seek to broaden MDG awareness and outreach.

But new ideas are only as good as their follow-though.  That is why I welcome the proposed Regional Center of Excellence at the Asian Institute of Technology in Bangkok.  The new Center, and its local and regional affiliates, will provide continuity for your initiatives.  They will also serve as key MDG hubs, promoting development activities throughout the region.  I hope that they will help step up the pace and ensure that all South-East Asia reaches the Goals in full, and on time.

The Millennium Development Goals are no mere aspirations.  They are commitments -- sacred vows to the poorest, most vulnerable sections of humanity.  Let us keep our promises.  Let us build a world we can all be proud of.

* *** *

For information media • not an official record