PROTECTING EDUCATION GAINS VITAL TO ACHIEVEMENT OF MILLENNIUM DEVELOPMENT GOALS,

SECRETARY-GENERAL SAYS IN MESSAGE TO HIGH-LEVEL PANEL ON EDUCATION FOR ALL

Following is UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s video message to the High-Level Group on Education for All, in Oslo, today, 16 December:

It is a great pleasure to greet the High-Level Group on Education for All.  Your gathering can make an important contribution to our efforts to attain the Millennium Development Goals and achieve sustainable development.

I see reasons for hope and concern in this quest.

Hope, because in Africa and Asia, there has been genuine progress in expanding access to education.  Since the year 2000, an additional 40 million children have gained access to school.  Strong political will, the right policy choices and international support made this possible.

And hope, because this past September’s High-Level Meeting on the Millennium Development Goals generated new financial commitments of $17.5 billion to improve education, health, access to clean water and sanitation, and much more.  Coming at a time of international financial turmoil, this result was especially encouraging.  We cannot afford to lose this momentum.

But make no mistake.  The financial crisis could undermine our efforts to advance the development agenda.  I am very concerned that hard-won progress may be lost.  This would have devastating consequences for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable.  Protecting these gains requires our utmost vigilance.

Education plays an essential, empowering role for people at every age, and at every stage of life.  Without education, we will not achieve the MDGs [Millennium Development Goals] or build the better world we seek.

Your high-level meeting can help shape the action we need at this time.  It can also reinforce the partnerships that are so vital to success.  I thank you for your commitment, and look forward to continuing our shared work to fulfil every person’s right to education.

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For information media • not an official record