What We’re Reading: Number of hungry people declines

Sep 14th, 2010 10:34 AM UTC
By Robyn Mitchell

100 billion dollars needed for MDGs, says Ban – More than 100 billion dollars will be needed over the next five years if we plan to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on cutting poverty and boosting health, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Monday. (AFP)

U.N. takes stock of its diminished influence – A new confidential set of United Nations briefing papers argues that industrial powers, including the U.S., have excluded the U.N. from critical discussions on the response to the global financial crisis, hindering the U.N.’s ability to promote the cause of smaller countries and the poor. (Colum Lynch, Foreign Policy)

Number of hungry people declines, says U.N. – The estimated number of chronically hungry people in the world has dipped considerably below one billion, thanks to good harvests and a drop in food prices from the spikes that sparked rioting just a few years ago, according to new U.N. figures. (Frances D’Emilio, AP)

Malaria fight saves 750,000, report finds – A new report estimates that programs to fight malaria, such as distribution of bed nets, drugs and spraying insecticides, have saved nearly 750,000 lives over the past 10 years and will save an additional 3 million children by 2015 if the world continues to increase investments against malaria. (Reuters)

Partnerships key to achieving MDG targets in Africa – As the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) Summit approaches, “partnership and commitment” will be essential for Africa to sustain progress in achieving the targets, said the director of the Poverty Practice Division of the UN Development Program. (Laila Kabbaj, Xinhua News)

Hunger costing poor nations $450 billion a year, says NGO – The effects of hunger could be costing developing countries 450 billion dollars a year, according to Action Aid, due to reduced worker productivity, poor health and lost education caused by malnourishment. (AFP)

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