UN Summit on the Millennium Development Goals
World leaders to gather in New York 20–22 September 2010
to boost progress against poverty
“We must not fail the billions who look to the international community to fulfill the promise of
the Millennium Declaration for a better world. Let us meet in September to keep the promise.”
– UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
What
With only five years left until the 2015 target date to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the Summit – officially called a High-Level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly – will bring together world leaders to review progress, identify gaps, and commit to a concrete action agenda to achieve the MDGs and internationally agreed development goals. Leaders from civil society, foundations and business are also expected to announce new initiatives to accelerate progress. In addition to statements by world leaders and round tables on key issues, a number of high-profile side events are expected to focus on specific initiatives.
Why
A decade ago, at the Millennium Summit in September 2000, the world joined together in a fifteen-year effort to combat poverty, hunger and disease. Although a number of countries have achieved major successes in reducing poverty, improving school enrolment and child health, expanding access to clean water, and fighting malaria, TB and AIDS, progress has been uneven, and – without additional efforts – several of the Goals are likely to be missed in many countries.
Who
Heads of State and Government, joined by leaders from citizen activist groups, foundations and the private sector. Opening statements expected by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, General Assembly Presidents Ali Abdussalam Treki (Libya, President of the 64th session) and Joseph Deiss (Switzerland, slated to be President of the 65th session).
When
20 – 22 September 2010, just before the annual high-level debate of the UN General Assembly
Where
United Nations Headquarters, New York
Timeline
Selected reports and events of media interest:
4 MARCH The General Assembly President kicks off Government consultations in preparation for the MDG Summit, with the Permanent Representatives of Denmark and Senegal as co-facilitators of the deliberations on an action-oriented outcome for the Summit.
16 MARCH The Secretary-General presents his comprehensive Summit report, Keeping the Promise*, to Governments and media, identifying MDG successes and gaps, lessons learnt and recommendations for action. (The Statistical Annex to the Secretary-General's Summit report* will be available in April.)
APRIL Release of the World Development Indicators and Global Monitoring Report by the World Bank, focusing on progress and policy recommendations for the MDGs, in connection with the Bank's meetings in Washington, DC.
APRIL – JUNE Some 30 MDG country reports will be issued, in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). In June a synthesis report will analyze lessons learnt.
7-9 JUNE Women Deliver international conference to focus on maternal and reproductive health, the Goal on which progress has been weakest (Washington, DC). At the same time, Countdown to 2015 – a multi-partner initiative involving WHO, UNICEF, UNFPA, the World Bank and others – will launch a report tracking progress on child and maternal health (MDGs 4 and 5).
14-15 JUNE The General Assembly will hold two-day informal interactive hearings with NGOs, civil society and the private sector as part of the preparatory process for the MDG Summit.
LATE JUNE The Millennium Development Goals Report 2010* will provide the latest progress data, based on statistics from more than 20 UN and international agencies, on each Goal, globally and by region.
In addition, an international assessment of what is needed to reach the MDGs will be prepared by UNDP for the G8 Summit, and a country-by-country scorecard of MGD achievement will be issued by the Millennium Campaign and Overseas Development Institute.
24-25 JUNE The UN Global Compact Leaders Summit will bring together business executives in New York to assess how the private sector can contribute to achieving the Goals.
28 JUNE – 2 JULY Government ministers will gather at the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) to examine how to move forward on gender equality and empowering women (Goal 3) and to assess how to improve development cooperation and aid.
MID-SEPTEMBER The report of the MDG Gap Task Force* will present data and recommendations on how to meet international commitments on aid, trade, debt relief, and other elements of the development partnership called for in the eighth Millennium Development Goal.
UNICEF will launch its annual Progress for Children report, with a focus on the MDGs.
17-19 SEPTEMBER Broad civil society mobilization, including through the Stand Up and Take Action against
Poverty initiative.
* Indicates the official reports for the High-level Plenary Meeting of the General Assembly on the MDGs