Mixed reception for UN anti-poverty action review

Mixed reception for UN anti-poverty action review via Ekklesia

Political leaders at the summit acknowledged that progress towards achieving the eight MDGs by 2015 is not where it should be.

In a final "outcome document" for the 20 to 22 September 2010 UN summit, participants recommitted themselves to achieving the goals, which include the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger.

Church leaders have applauded the progress made so far to reduce global poverty but say more must be done.

The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches, the Rev Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, told UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon in a letter that, "Without significant transformations in global economic frameworks, the attainment of the MDGs by 2015 is endangered".

Referring to the New York-based UN high-level summit on the MDGs, Tveit's letter expressed concern that governments needed to do more to address the root causes of poverty. The WCC leader said that if this were not done, justice-oriented reforms would not be possible.

"In today's globalised world, efforts by nations to meet the MDGs are more and more contingent on an enabling international economic environment," wrote Tveit.

The world leaders meeting in New York failed to decide on what some observers claim must be done to tackle the most pressing problems hindering the elimination of poverty.

"We need action on hunger, poverty, trade and human rights, and we need it now," said John Nduna, General Secretary of the Geneva-based ACT Alliance, one of the world's largest humanitarian and development networks, after the New York meeting.

Pray for our leaders and those spearheading humanitarian efforts.