An international conference on the Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs) is to be held from March 25 to 27 in Beijing, Foreign
Ministry spokesman Kong Quan announced in Beijing Thursday.
The conference will be jointly held by the Chinese Foreign
Ministry and offices of UN organizations in China.
Kong said Chinese State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan will attend the
opening of the conference and deliver a speech.
UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will send a representative to
the meeting, Kong said. Participants will include representatives
from the Chinese and foreign governments, international
organizations, academic organizations and business communities from
home and overseas, Kong said.
Participants will share experience involving the millennium
development goals and explore ways for cooperation, Kong said.
The MDGs grew out of a gathering of 189 world leaders at the
United Nations in September 2000, when attendees proclaimed the
Millennium Declaration.
This statement gave voice to the values shared by all member
nations and resulted in a commitment by those nations to halve
global poverty by 2015.
The eight MDGs are: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger,
achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and
empower women, reduce child mortality, improve material health,
combat HIV/ AIDS, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental
sustainability, and develop a global partnership for
development.
(Xinhua News Agency March 18, 2004)