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UN and China Mark Inernational Poverty Eradication Day with Major Forum
19 October 2009, Beijing — A high-level forum was held over the weekend in Beijing to mark the 17th International Day for the Eradication of Poverty(17th,October) and to address the impact and challenges of the financial crisis on poverty reduction. The forum was attended by over 200 Chinese government leaders, officials from developing countries, academics, and members of the international community, and was co-hosted by the United Nations in China and the State Council Leading Group Office of Poverty Alleviation and Development (LGOP).
Vice Premier Hui Liangyu, Minister Fan Xiaojian, Director of the LGOP, and Ms. Thoraya Ahmed Obaid, Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), were among the keynote speakers who addressed the crowd of over 200 participants representing more than 20 countries. A dedicated message from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon was also read to the forum by Mr. Khalid Malik, United Nations Resident Coordinator in China.
This is the third annual forum to mark the International Poverty Eradication Day and has become an important platform for knowledge sharing, dialogue, and policy formulation concerning China’s progress on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). This year’s theme, “Financial crisis and poverty: Challenges and responses” seeks to address the difficulties and uncertainties brought about by the global economic crisis, particularly the possibility of an additional 90 million people a year living in extreme poverty worldwide and the expected 80% drop in capital flows to developing countries from 2007 to 2009.
China has thus far made outstanding progress towards the MDGs, accounting for 67% of poverty reduction achievements worldwide over the past 25 years according to the World Bank Statistics. Without China’s efforts, it is unlikely that the first MDG of halving global poverty by 2015 could be met.
In his address, Minister Fan Xiaojian emphasized the Chinese government’s swift and effective series of policies to tackle the economic crisis, which helped curb the decline of income among many peasants in poor areas. He also highlighted the government’s ambitious changes in poverty reduction standards since 2008, including an increase in the poverty line to an annual per capita income below 1196 RMB, under which 40.07 million people will be targeted.
Ban’s message commended China’s efforts to weather the financial crisis and applauded China’s unprecedented accomplishments in poverty reduction. He also stressed the importance of continuing to support poverty reduction efforts in the face of the financial crisis, when many nations are cutting budgets and reducing official development assistance. “At a time of multiple global crises, the poorest and most vulnerable have a special claim on our attention. We know that, in any recession, those hurt first—and worst—are the poor.”
Echoing this sentiment, Obaid emphasized China’s leading role in advancing both human development and the world economy. “China has registered significant increases in bilateral assistance and can further support countries by providing increased official development assistance through the United Nations system.”
UN Resident Coordinator Khalid Malik spoke to the importance of partnerships, both within countries and between them, to address poverty reduction. “Government, corporate sector, media, civil society organizations, all have a role to play. I am glad to see today such a diversified participation of people from different fields, to discuss ways and how to join hands and draw on our respective advantages, resources and strengths to fight against the common crisis.”
The morning’s keynote speeches also included addresses by Mr. James Adams, Vice President of of the East Asia and Pacific Region at the World Bank, Mr. Ahmed Shide, State Minister of Finance and Economic Development of Ethiopia, Mr. Jomo Sundaram, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Development, Mr. Du Ying, Vice Minister of the National Development and Reform Commission of China, and Ms. Sheila Sisulu, Deputy Executive Director of the World Food Programme.
In the afternoon, two parallel sessions were held on the themes of “Ensuring an Inclusive and Sustainable Recovery for All” and “Promoting Global Concerted Efforts in Tackling the Economic Crisis,” followed by a plenary session chaired by Mr. Nicholas Rosellini, UNDP Deputy Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific Region and Mr. Wu Zhong, Director General of the International Poverty Reduction Centre in China.
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MEDIA ENQUIRIES
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For more information, please contact:
Ms. Zhang Wei, Communications Officer, UNDP China
Phone: 86 10 8532 0715, 139 1007 3809
Email: wei.zhang@undp.org
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