UN chief urges more actions to help poorest, most vulnerable people

Despite remarkable gains have been made in the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), it will take more to ensure the poorest and most vulnerable people are not left behind, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said on Monday.

The Millennium Development Goals Report 2015, which was launched on Monday in Oslo, Norway, showed the MDGs galvanized the world to produce the most successful anti-poverty movement in history, helped lift more than one billion people out of extreme poverty, made inroads against hunger and enabled more girls to attend school than ever before.

"The report confirms that the global efforts to achieve the Goals have saved millions of lives and improved conditions for millions more around the world," said Ban, who was joined at the launch by MDG Advocates Erna Solberg, Prime Minister of Norway, and Paul Kagame, President of Rwanda.

"These successes should be celebrated throughout our global community. At the same time, we are keenly aware of where we have come up short," the UN chief said.

Data and analysis prove that even the poorest countries can make dramatic and unprecedented progress with targeted interventions, sound strategies, adequate resources and political will, says the report, which reflects the global and regional progress of the eight MDGs over the past 15 years that has been monitored and analyzed annually by data compiled by more than 28 UN and international agencies.

"The MDGs worked at all levels - global, national and local, rallying not just diplomats and technocrats in conference buildings but communities gathering in village squares," Ban said. "The MDGs measured what mattered to people. As we look ahead, we must do more to reach those who are most vulnerable, are not counted and have not shared the improvements of the past 15 years."

The report drew attention to climate change and environmental degradation that undermine progress achieved and noted that conflicts remain the biggest threat to human development and the greatest obstacle to progress in achieving the MDGs.

The emerging post-2015 development agenda, including the set of sustainable development goals that will be adopted at a summit at UN Headquarters in September, is a process aimed at defining a global development framework that will succeed the MDGs when they reach their target date at the end of 2015.

"As we reflect on the MDGs and set our sights on the next 15 years, I am confident that we can deliver on our shared responsibility to end poverty, leave no one behind and create a world of dignity for all," Ban said.