Norwegian prince promotes UN anti-poverty targets during visit to Mongolia

Crown Prince Haakon of Norway, a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), is conducting a three-day visit to Mongolia as part of his efforts to promote the global anti-poverty targets known as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

The Crown Prince began his visit to the Asian country yesterday, touring a community development centre in the Khoroo district of the capital, Ulaanbaatar, where many families have moved in search of new opportunities, according to a press release issued by UNDP.

The community development centre aims to provide education and other opportunities to children in a district plagued by high unemployment and poverty, poor sanitation and a lack of basic social services.

UNDP has provided leadership training for the local residents who have helped establish the centre, which also offers vegetable growing, nutrition training and classes for school drop-outs and children with disabilities.

“Today, Mongolia stands at a crossroads to decide whether it will make full use of its economic growth to reach the Millennium Development Goals,” the Crown Prince said, referring to the targets that are supposed to be achieved by 2015.

Since becoming a Goodwill Ambassador in 2003, the Crown Prince has visited Burundi, Guatemala, Sierra Leone, Cambodia and Tanzania for UNDP.