United Nations Radio

Nearly a hundred world leaders as well as representatives of the private sector and civil society are now meeting in a high-level gathering to discuss how best to intensify efforts towards meeting the eight anti-poverty targets called the Millennium Development Goals.

The goals aim to slash extreme poverty and hunger by half; reduce child mortality; promote gender equality and empower women; improve maternal health; achieve universal primary education; combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability; and develop a global partnership for development.

It's the first summit-level gathering on the Millennium Development Goals since 2000 when world leaders committed to those goals laid out in the Millennium Declaration.

Experts say despite significant progress in meeting the goals, urgent and increased efforts are needed to meet the 2015 deadline.

Today's meeting aims to pinpoint gaps and identify steps to accelerate progress in meeting those goals.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who opened the meeting says he expects it will send a strong message to governments that they are ready to rise to the financing for development challenge.

This is Donn Bobb reporting for United Nations Radio.

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