..Press Release.......UNESCAP News Services

Date 18 October 2006
Press Release No. G/46/2006

SOUTH ASIAN MDG ACTION PLAN ADOPTED AT NEPAL MEETING

‘Road Map’ to 2015 calls for strengthening partnerships
to meet MDG targets in South Asia

Bangkok (United Nations Information Services) -- More than one hundred participants from seven countries have adopted an Action Plan for South Asia to meet the UN Millennium Development Goal (MDG) targets by the 2015 deadline.

The Action Plan, adopted at the close of a sub-regional MDG Forum held in Kathmandu, Nepal, identifies key actions by governments, donors and other stakeholders to meet the eight goals that focus on poverty reduction, health, education and the environment within the next two to five years.

The recommendations include:

• increased investments in rural infrastructure,
• increased public investments in providing safe drinking water and improved sanitation,
• compulsory and free education up to secondary level,
• targeted interventions to reduce malnutrition and child and maternal mortality,
• legal protection against gender discrimination,
• inclusion of socially vulnerable groups in the development process through affirmative actions, and
• strengthening sub-regional cooperation for free-flow of life-saving drugs and medicines, facilitating inter-country migration, and creating a disaster management fund.

Strengthened and ongoing partnerships between the media, civil society groups and governments to reach these targets were underlined. Deep concern at the widespread poverty and hunger that continues to hold back progress in South Asia, was also noted at the October 11-12 meeting.

“Millions continue to be mired in poverty, hunger, and malnutrition. Unacceptably high numbers of children die before they reach age five. Hundreds of thousands of women die each year while giving birth or due to complications arising from pregnancy,” said Mr Kim Hak-Su, UNESCAP’ s Executive Secretary.

“South Asia has done well in accelerating economic growth but it continues to face serious challenges,” Mr. Kim told the gathering of government officials and representatives of the media, NGOs and civil society organizations.

The meeting was organized by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB).

Hosted by the Government of Nepal, the Forum was part of the ongoing UNESCAP, UNDP and ADB tripartite initiative that provides a regional platform for identifying key areas of action to move MDGs forward.

The Forum was inaugurated by H.E. Mr. Ram Sharan Mahat, Minister for Finance, Government of Nepal.

For further information please contact:
Ravi Ratnayake, Chief
Poverty Development Division
UNESCAP
Tel: +66 (0)2 288 1902
Fax: +66(0)2 288 3035
Email: ratnayaker@un.org

* *** *