Secretary-General Welcomes New Resolution on Millennium Development Goal Summit;

Says ‘Time to Deliver’ on Long-Standing Development Promises to World’s Poorest

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General welcomes the General Assembly’s new resolution on next year’s planned Millennium Development Goal Summit.  Coming amid mixed progress towards the Goals and new crises that threaten the global effort to halve extreme poverty, the Summit will be a crucially important opportunity to redouble our efforts to meet the Goals by the agreed deadline of 2015.

The Secretary-General intends to make 2010 the year of the Millennium Development Goals.  Just as now is the moment to act on climate change, the next half decade must be the time to deliver on long-standing development promises to the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people, above all those in Africa.

The Secretary-General urges all Member States and people everywhere to start preparing for the Summit now.  In the decade since the Goals were first agreed, we have learned a great deal about what works, and where we need to focus our efforts.  Evidence shows that the Goals can be achieved, even in the poorest countries, when good policies and projects are backed by adequate resources.

The Secretary-General notes that the Millennium Development Goals have triggered unprecedented efforts worldwide in the fight against poverty, hunger, disease and environmental destruction.  But he stresses that we can and must do more, especially given the growing impact of climate change, increasing global hunger and continuing fallout from the economic and financial crisis.

The Secretary-General strongly urges Heads of State and Government to attend the Millennium Development Goals Summit and engage fully in ensuring a successful, practical, action-oriented outcome that delivers results for the billions of people struggling to meet their basic needs and to live in dignity and peace.

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For information media • not an official record