Ending extreme poverty can be achieved in this generation, United Kingdom Prime Minister David Cameron told journalists in New York on Wednesday.
The Prime Minister co-chairs a UN panel which seeks to build on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
While the eight MDGs galvanized global action on behalf of the poor, Cameron said the panel believes they overlooked the importance of strong institutions and the rule of law, and the effects of conflict and violence.
He said the panel's report, to be delivered later this month, will emphasize the need to tackle the causes of poverty, not just the symptoms.
"Above all, we need to focus on economic growth driven by a strong private sector as the most powerful engine there is to lift people out of poverty. We need a recognition that development has to be sustainable for the planet for the long term, but there's this new commitment to strong institutions and governance because these are essential to end conflict, to protect the rule of law, to stamp out corruption and insecurity, and to hold governments accountable. This, I believe, is a totally new addition to the Millennium Development Goals—the importance of good governance, the lack of corruption; what I call the 'golden thread' of development."
Read more at United Nations Radio
