Africa Lags Behind in Achieving Millennium Development Goals

The United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan, voiced concerns that Africa is not on track to meet the development goals set by the UN in 2000. Speaking at the African Union summit in Abuja, Annan emphasized that drastic steps are needed from across the continent to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015. He highlighted the significant challenges faced by Africa, including widespread poverty, the spread of killer diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and polio, and the proliferation of small arms. Annan called for increased aid and debt relief from rich nations and pledged the UN's assistance in addressing the situation.

Key Takeaways:

• Africa is lagging behind in achieving the Millennium Development Goals, with the poverty rate actually increasing since 1990.
• Over 400 million Africans survive on less than $1 per day, making it difficult to meet the goal of halving the poverty rate.
• The continent is struggling to reverse the spread of killer diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, and polio, with significant resources and efforts needed to combat these epidemics.
• Small arms proliferation is a major challenge in Africa, making the continent "more and more unsafe" and requiring urgent attention from African leaders to implement effective strategies against the use of force.
• The African Union has taken steps towards ending crisis in Sudan, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and other troubled countries, but requires a total commitment from leaders to achieve the African cause.
• The UN will hold a meeting in September to review progress towards the Millennium Development Goals in the last five years, with a focus on ensuring that 2005 becomes a turning point for Africa.

Statistics:

• 400 million Africans survive on less than $1 per day (UN report).
• Africa is poorer now than it was in 1990 (UN report).
• Hundreds of millions of Africans (exact number not specified) are infected with HIV/AIDS, malaria, or polio.
• The African Union has made progress in ending crisis in several countries, including Sudan, Liberia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Sources:

• XINHUA NEWS AGENCY. News Provided by COMTEX (http://www.comtexnews.com)
• United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan
• African Union summit in Abuja