Decrying a lack of progress in tackling the many serious problems currently facing the world, United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan Thursday urged that 2004 be the “year of kept promises” to resolve the pressing issues that afflict the lives of billions.
While recognizing the critical need to stabilize Iraq, halt the spread of deadly weapons and fight terrorism, Mr. Annan told a press conference in New York that other issues require urgent attention. He cited poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy, calling on world leaders to renew their determination to focus on those blights.
With all the focus on Iraq, “leaders, politicians, diplomats and journalists… simply have not paid enough attention to the many other pressing challenges that facing us,” he stressed.
Towards this end, he urged efforts to reach a set of time-bound targets – collectively called the Millennium Development Goals – that were adopted at a UN summit in 2000.
Without action, he said those aims would not be fulfilled, particularly in the poorest countries of sub-Saharan Africa, the Andes and Central Asia. – And if the Goals are not met, we will all be poorer, and less secure, he warned.
The Secretary-General called for richer States to increase levels of development aid, give poor nations free and fair access to global markets, and reduce the “crippling” external debt burden.
To stem the HIV-AIDS pandemic, he urged providing anti-retroviral treatment to 3 million infected people by 2005 and fully financing a special fund to set up to deal with AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
– We must increase investments in education, health, and water and sanitation, he added. – And we must do more to empower women and to fight corruption.
Mr. Annan noted that promises have been made in these and other areas, and pledged to work assiduously to compel leaders to make good on their word.
In the realm of peace and security, he pointed out that “there is plenty beyond Iraq that needs urgent attention,” including the need for progress in the Middle East, Afghanistan, Latin America and Africa.
He stressed that in order to address the worlds “forgotten humanitarian emergencies” and to carry out its peacekeeping work, the UN would need troops as well as money.
– Let us get our priorities right in 2004, he said. – Let us make 2004 a year of kept promises.
Kilde: FNs Nyhedstjeneste
