UN welcomes European Commission’s call for more aid to developing countries

The United Nations today welcomed the European Commission’s call for all European Union countries to substantially increase their financial aid to developing nations.

Describing it as “a step in the right direction,” a UN spokesman said the Commission’s appeal on Wednesday was a move towards Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s efforts to ensure that financing for development, particularly official development assistance (ODA), increases significantly.

The Secretary-General intends to push this cause further at next month’s Conference on Financing for Development in Monterrey, Mexico, the spokesman said.