Ban Ki-moon stressed the importance of cooperation in the four years remaining to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and said much work remains to “achieve truly sustainable development that will lift all people from extreme poverty while protecting the natural resources on which our development depends.”
29 August 2011: In a statement to the China-Africa People’s Forum, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for close cooperation with NGOs on climate change, energy security, sustainability, and meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
The China-Africa People’s Forum took place in Nairobi, Kenya, on 29 August 2011. The Forum was convened by the China NGO Network for International Exchanges and the Kenya NGO Coordination Board, and brought together NGO leaders from China and Africa.
Ban said that close cooperation is required if the UN is to succeed in addressing extreme poverty and hunger, gender inequality, HIV/AIDS, human right abuses, climate change and energy insecurity. He stressed the particular importance of cooperation in the four years remaining to achieve the MDGs, and said much work remains to “achieve truly sustainable development that will lift all people from extreme poverty while protecting the natural resources on which our development depends.” He encouraged the Forum to generate new ideas, strategies and best practices for promoting civic engagement on sustainability. [Statement of UN Secretary-General]