The Prime Minister has called upon the world to seize the opportunity to help poor countries during the economic downturn and not retreat from international commitments such as the Millennium Development Goals.
Gordon Brown told the DFID Conference on eliminating world poverty that a “new global deal” should recognise and embrace global interdependence.
He said the world had reached a point where it could either turn its back on the poorest or reshape itself “in a way that benefits us all”.
The Prime Minister said:
“Never before has the case for cooperative global action been so obvious and so urgent…we must seize this day, because now is the time to make the development agenda for addressing poverty a central part of the global agenda for restoring growth.
“Some have argued that in these difficult times the rich world should turn our back on the Millenium Development Goals and retreat from the promises we have made to the poor, but I wanted to come here today to say that amidst all the other challenges for globalisation we must not and will not lose sight of our vision of a wolrd freed form poverty.”
The PM said that while it was a challenging time, there were great opportunities to work with developing countries to the benefit of all. He highlighted investment in agriculture, the expansion of markets through increased prosperity and combined action to bring down carbon emissions.
Speeches and Transcripts: PM at international development conference
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