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Failure to reach MDGs may result in unrest: Yudhoyono
Asia's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are at stake as the region focuses on ending the global financial turmoil, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said
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Asia's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are at stake as the region focuses on ending the global financial turmoil, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has said.
The failure to reach the MDGs, Yudhoyono said, might result in regional social and political unrest.
"The real economy everywhere has been hard hit, millions around the world have been forced out of jobs. Our efforts to reach the MDGs by 2015 are at risk," he said at the 42nd annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
"Poverty is worsening in many countries, businesses are struggling. The extremely urgent climate change agenda could be affected ... If all this goes unchecked, down the road we could see social and political unrest in many countries," he said.
The MDGs consist of eight international development goals that nearly 200 UN member states and at least 23 international organizations agreed to achieve by the year 2015.
These include halving extreme poverty, reducing child mortality rates, fighting epidemics such as HIV/AIDS and establishing a global partnership for development.
Yudhoyono urged the ADB to find a solution to the impact of the global crisis, which he said was one of the most important in the ADB’s history.
"What must come out of this meeting is the clear resolve that ADB is ready and capable to take on this serious challenge. We must demonstrate that the global financial crisis has made ADB more, not less, relevant," Yudhoyono said.
"I would also like to underline that it is absolutely vital for all of us to focus equally on our nation's social and political stability. This is why I have spared no effort to ensure that we deliver 'growth with equity' in our economic policy, that is the best way to underpin our democratic transition with a strong foundation," he added.
He expects the ADB to play a "strategic and far-sighted role" to help members confront the crisis.
ADB President Haruhiko Kuroda said Asia should target investment that could stimulate economies and mitigate climate change .
"We must ramp-up our efforts to put the region on the path to low-carbon growth. At a time when investment is desperately needed to stimulate economies, we need to target investment in clean energy to mitigate climate change," he said.
"This is not an option; it is an imperative. Access to energy is essential for growth, poverty alleviation and achievement of the MDGs.
"As developing Asia grows, its share of global carbon emissions could rise to more than 40 percent by 2030. Unless proactive steps are taken to make growth environmentally sustainable, the region will quickly become the main driver of climate change," he added.
The ADB will ensure funding for climate change responses continues despite the economic downturn.
Last year, it provided almost $1.7 billion for clean energy projects, exceeding its $1 billion target.
"There is much yet to do in the region. To deal with these complex issues, I am pleased to announce that I have established an advisory group of internationally recognized climate change experts to help us develop programs relevant to the region in the medium and long term," Kuroda said.
