(STRASBOURG, November 15th) More than 1 million Europeans mobilized on October 17th --the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty -- under the Stand Up and Take Action initiative, to ask their Governments to keep their commitments on increasing aid quantity and quality, debt relief, and trade opportunities that will help poor countries to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The Summit on soaring food prices, convened by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), has concluded with the adoption by acclamation of a declaration calling on the international community to increase assistance for developing countries, in particular the least developed countries and those that are most negatively affected by high food prices.
It is the 7th anniversary of the pledge by African Union member states to allocate 15% of national budgets to health. In a statement to mark the anniversary, Archbishop Tutu stated:
The dramatic surge in food prices has plunged millions of poor people and many net food importing poor countries into a food crisis. Consequently, it has also put at risk their chances of achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015. Whilst the focus has been on the impact on the MDG1 of reducing poverty and hunger, given the close inter-connectedness between all the 8 MDGs, the impact on these sections of the poor on health, education and livelihoods more broadly, cannot be underestimated.
The Acting Spanish President, Jose Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, cited the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as the key focus of his governments development and cooperation policies, while giving his inaugural speech in the Spanish Parliament yesterday.
Nigeria Confident About Millennium Development Goals
By Deanna Gillen – Talk Radio News Service
February 7, 2012 – Nigeria is “very optimistic” it will be able to meet the United Nations Millennium development goals before the self-imposed 2015 deadline, despite serious challenges on issues like environmental sustainability, Dr. Precious Gbeneol, the Senior Special Assistant to the President of Nigeria on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) told a press conference at the United Nations Tuesday.
Nigeria Urges Countries to Redouble Efforts on MDGs
Thursday - 09 Feb, 2012 - Nigeria has called on countries across the globe to redouble their efforts to make the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) a reality.
Dr Precious Gbeneol, Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs made the call at a news conference on the UN Millennium Campaign and the progress of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in Nigeria at the UN headquarters on Tuesday.
Gbeneol was accompanied by Rep. Adeyinka Ajayi, Member House Committee on MDGs.
Nigeria and UN Announce Unique Partnership to Meet MDGs
LONDHIYA, INDIA — Almost everyone in this village in central India has a complaint. Electricity comes only three hours a day. The road has potholes. Widows’ pensions arrive late. The school lunch program often runs low on food.

