UN report paints mixed picture of global progress on MDG goals

[pampango]

http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/un-report-paints-mixed-picture-of-global-progress-on-mdg-goals-2011-07-12

Sustained growth in developing countries is keeping the world on track to reduce the global poverty rate to below 15% by 2015, the United Nations (UN) said at the launch of ‘The Millennium Development Goal Report 2011’ on Tuesday. This is significantly below the 23% target prescribed in the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) framework.

Despite the global financial crisis, which resulted in a decline in commodity prices, trade and investment, current trends suggested that the momentum of growth in the developing world remained strong enough to sustain the progress needed to reach the global poverty-reduction targets, the report stated.

The East Asia region was leading in its efforts to reduce poverty, with China and India expected to decrease the number of people living in poverty by 320-millon by 2015, adding to the already 455-million people from 1990 to 2005.

But, the report does paint a mixed picture of progress and challenges globally, as echoed by UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon.