African countries 'face poverty until 2165'

Wednesday, 9 July 2003 12:00 AM

The United Nations today published its Human Development Report 2003 which examines how different countries fared during the 1990s.

It claims that although the world is on track to halve income poverty by 2015, the 1990s were a time of 'development crisis'.

The report also shows that despite three years of effort, some countries have recently begun to get poorer and some African countries, if they continue at current rates, will not rise out of poverty until 2165.

Speaking at the UN headquarters in New York yesterday UNDP Economist and co-Author of the report David Stewart said that 54 countries ended the decade poorer that they began it

'The poor countries on one side need to institute quality reforms, fight corruption and most importantly put the Millennium goals at the centre of their development strategy. On the other side of the coin, the richer countries really have to fulfil the commitments they made to these goals,' he explained.

The report focused on progression towards the UN's Development Goals which aim to half the number of those who are hungry by 2015; they also focus on disease, illiteracy, environmental damage, and halting the spread of HIV/Aids. However the success of these is uncertain

The UNDP says the goals can be achieved, but 'only if poor countries pursue wide-ranging reforms and wealthy ones respond with improved trade terms and increased aid'. It also argues that the 'war on poverty' must not take a backseat to the 'war on terrorism'.

The report concludes that the Millennium Development Goals present the world with 'daunting challenges' but failing to help lift people out of poverty will have 'disastrous consequences'.

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