UN High-level Event on Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
25 September 2008
Commitment for achieving the MDGs
World leaders gathered at United Nations (UN) headquarters to focus on their re-commitments to the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - the international development goals agreed upon by leaders in 2000. Following the Opening of the UN Assembly, a High-level Event was convened on 25 September by the UN Secretary-General and the President of the UN Assembly, and gave them a chance to review progress and make new commitments.
In unprecedented numbers, leaders of the world committed to new focus, funds and action for maternal, newborn and child health, including the President of the General Assembly, H.E. Father Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, of Nicaragua, The UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon, leaders of Norway, Britain, Tanzania, China and multi-millionaire, Bill Gates.(See full text of speeches and a Compendium of World Leaders Statements, below.) As well, the leaders of the UN organizations released a joint statement of commitment to mothers and children.
The opening plenary was followed by three roundtable sessions: Poverty and Hunger, Education and Health and Environmental Sustainability. The discussions were steered by chairs and were based on the Background document by the Secretary General. During the course of these discussions a number of countries referred to ongoing MNCH activities in their countries or made commitments to MNCH.
The High-level Event on the MDGs was accompanied by several official partner-organized Side-events, a number of which related to maternal, newborn and child health or made references to it. Link to these Partner Side-events from our top page in the "Spotlight: UN Week in Focus" The commitments agreed at the side events were compiled into the documents: "Compilation of Partnership Events and Commitments" and "MDG Action Points", found below.