UN General Assembly
2003

hunger and 150 million children suffer from malnutrition deficiencies, we can readily gauge the feeble support of donors for anti-poverty strategies, despite the lofty statements of intention that are occasionally mouthed. Today more than ever, the situation should pull at the conscience of the international community and inspire us to greater solidarity and determination to fulfil our commitments. It is time to understand once and for all that the reduction of poverty is more than a moral imperative; it is in fact a secure investment in the promotion of a world of peace, prosperity and social progress. 3 It is encouraging to note that, in recent years, Africa has been at the core of major international conferences. From the Brussels Conference on the Least Developed Countries to the Johannesburg Summit, as well as the Monterrey International Conference on Financing for Development, the World Economic Forum, the Evian G-8 summit and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Conference in Cancún, to name but a few, Africa has been at the heart of the debates.