UN General Assembly
2005

countries have actually regressed since 2000 in their efforts to achieve MDG targets. Poverty, hunger and infectious diseases lay waste entire communities and nations, often exacerbate the effects of war and conflict, and make the prospects for recovery infinitely more problematic. Urgent action needs to be taken to reverse those trends. We need greater commitment from developed countries, particularly with respect to increasing official development assistance to at least 0.7 per cent of gross national income, freer and fairer trade and debt cancellation. Let me remind the Assembly that the target of 0.7 per cent of the gross national income for official development assistance was set by our Assembly more than 40 years ago and that, as we speak, only five countries have reached it. The time for speeches and debate is over. We must have action on those issues. Most of us have now come to understand the interconnectedness and interdependence of all nations around the world and the nexus between security and development. Poverty, hunger and deprivation in sub-Saharan Africa are bad for peace and security in all