As world leaders will convene in New York on 25 September 2008 for the United Nations Millennium Development Goals Forum to renew commitments to help developing countries in their fight against poverty, Upper House Member of Parliament Rev the Hon Dr Gordon Moyes has urged the Federal Government to increase Australia’s contribution to foreign aid.
The Millennium Development Goals established by the United Nations in 2000 represented the minimum set of targets to significantly and systematically reduce world poverty within 15 years. They were agreed by 191 governments and supported around the world. For more information on each of the target goals, visit http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/goals/index.htm
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has kept his election promise of increasing Australia’s aid program to $3.7 billion. Over the next seven years, the ambition is to bring this figure up to $8 billion, or 0.50 percent of the Gross National Income. However, that is still short of the 0.70 percent target set by the United Nations.
“Australia should be leading the world in its commitment to developing nations. We still lag behind other developed nations in our commitment to the world’s poor. A number of countries have already achieved the goals of 0.70 percent”, Dr Moyes said.
Mass poverty continues to be one of the most important economic and social problems facing the world in the 21st century. About 1.3 billion people, nearly a quarter of the world’s population, continue to live in extreme poverty trying to survive on less than a dollar a day, and over half of the poor are in the Asia Pacific region.
Dr Moyes explained, “Properly directed aid programs help to provide health, water and education services, strengthen the economy, and support healthy social institutions. Aid may also significantly limit the terrorism which is bred, not from religion, but from the poverty which allows extremists to exploit frustrated and poor people living in desperate circumstances. This is a critical international issue on which Australia could, and should, take a leading role.”
Source: Christian Democratic Party
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