11/10/2010 G-20''s development program will support UN millennium goals
TOKYO, The Group of 20's (G-20's) push for development of poor nations will help the United Nations in achieving its own Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), South Korean President Lee Myung-bak said in his talks Wednesday with the UN chief, Yonhap News Agency reported.
South Korea, which will host the two-day G-20 summit from Thursday, has added development to the summit agenda. Lee earlier said the G-20 leaders plan to announce a set of concrete action plans for supporting the development of impoverished countries.
"President Lee asked UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to play a leading role in discussing the development agenda at the Seoul G-20 summit," presidential office said in a press release after their meeting, carried by Yonhap.
Ban, former South Korean foreign minister, arrived in Seoul earlier in the day to attend the global economic forum. Lee also expressed hope that the G-20's development campaign will contribute to the UN's efforts to reach MDGs aimed at halving the global poverty rate by 2015, the report said. In response, Ban said the UN hopes for close cooperation with the G-20 on global issues, it said. Releasing a statement upon his arrival in Seoul, Ban said, "Agenda items that will be dealt with at the Seoul summit are closely related to UN activities.
When the summit takes up UN-related issues, such as development and climate change, I plan to explain the UN's activities and get the G-20 to put a greater push on the existing international efforts."
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