Gordon Brown: We Cannot Fail The Challenge Of Tackling World Poverty
In an opinion piece published Friday in British daily “The Independent”, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown writes, that “the unpredictable crises like the catastrophe in Haiti this week show once again both the fragility of life on our planet, but also the very human instinct to come to the assistance of those in need….It is a tragedy beyond imagination”.
BUT we should not lose sight of our wider responsibilities to address the daily suffering of millions…. Now a convergence of global crises – which are economic and environmental – threatens to reverse recent gains and end an era of progress when it has only just begun.
Faced with two grievous and simultaneous challenges, I believe that the 12 months of 2010 will be as decisive as the 10 years of the last decade, noted Brown
First, we must stay the course to make poverty history. Britain will not only keep our aid promises in 2010, we will exceed them.
Second, given the scale of the challenges, we must find new and innovative sources of finance to fight poverty and climate change.
Third, we must ensure that developing countries not only deal with the crises but invest in the future.
Fourth, we must encourage the capacity of developing countries to grow their own way out of poverty.
Most crucial is the UN Poverty Summit in September, Brown stressed
To build momentum, we must build high level political resolve early. 2010 is a test of the world’s concern for the poorest – and their faith in us. We must act now to give the entire world back its future and its hope, the British Prime Minister wrote.
Kilde: www.worldbank.org
