UN must step up aid to developing world, Uruguay’s Foreign Minister tells Assembly

From the podium of the General Assembly, Uruguay’s Foreign Minister Luis Almagro today called on the United Nations to step up its aid to developing countries, particularly middle income countries.

“Democracy, good governance and a more effective multilateral system constitute essential elements for developing countries to implement sustainable development,” the Foreign Minister told the 67th Assembly on the fifth day of its annual General Debate, at UN Headquarters in New York.

“For that reason it is crucial that the United Nations adapts itself to global challenges, ensures its presence in the field and responds to the challenges of developing countries in accordance with their priorities and needs,” he added. “In particular, I would like to highlight the situation of middle income countries, such as Uruguay, which in spite of our great efforts and achievements still needs support from the international community.”

Mr. Almagro stressed numerous obstacles standing in the way of development such as extreme poverty and climate change.

“Now more than ever we must revitalize [a] global alliance for development and increase international; cooperation flows,” he said. “This without a doubt will be the greatest challenge for the international community in the century. The establishment of a new set of development goals, capable of guiding our actions and joining our efforts beyond 2015, is our responsibility and we must work arduously to fulfil it.”

The year 2015 is the target date for attaining the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) set by the UN Millennium summit in 2000, which seeks to slash extreme poverty and hunger, infant and maternal mortality, a host of diseases and lack of access to health services and education. But many countries are lagging way behind schedule.

The Uruguayan Foreign Minister is one of scores of world leaders and other high-level officials presenting their views and comments on issues of individual, national and international relevance at the Assembly’s General Debate, which ends on 1 October.