Millennium Development Goals
EU Millennium pledge is a cynical PR stunt
World leaders are meeting this week at a UN summit in New York to accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which are due to be realised by 2015. At the summit last night, EU Commission President Barroso reiterated a 'new' pledge to provide 1 billion to the achievement of the MDGs but the Greens have expressed concerns that this pledge does not represent any additional funding for the poorest countries. Responding to the EU statement, Judith Sargentini said:
"Commission President Barroso's headline-grabbing 'new' pledge for the Millennium Development Goals is sadly little more than a cynical PR stunt. The 1 billion does not represent any new and additional funding for the poorest countries and merely represents a reallocation of funds already pledged under the EU's development aid budget.
"This hollow gesture is an insulting message to give to this crucial summit. If all world leaders simply recycle or relabel funds already reserved for development aid we will never reach the Millennium Development Goals. The EU consistently claims to be a global leader on development. Unfortunately, well-meaning rhetoric will not achieve the MDGs. The EU should put its money where its mouth is."
* The Millennium Development Goals include specific targets in 8 core areas, such as reducing poverty, combating disease, fighting hunger, protecting the environment and boosting education.
