Strengthening efforts to eradicate poverty and hunger: Dialogues at the Economic and Social Council

In its 2007 High-level Segment held in Geneva from 2-5 July 2007, the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) convened its first Annual Ministerial Review (AMR) and launched the Development cooperation Forum (DCF), as mandated by the 2005 World Summit. The AMR takes stock of progress to accelerate global efforts to achieve the internationally-agreed development goals, including the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and the overarching target of halving extreme poverty by 2015 - the DCG aims to strengthen international development cooperation towards achieving these goals. The survey of progress as far, as shown in the 2007 Report, shows that seven years after the Millennium Summit, many countries are still struggling to archive the MDGs. However, even though some countries are not on track to reach these foals by 2015, others have made significant progress in reducing extreme and, on balance, the results are encouraging. The Ministerial Declaration adopted at the end of the High-level Segment has contributed to the revival of ECOSOC by sending a message that the international community is united in addressing the obstacles that stand in the way of achieving the goal of halving poverty and hunger by 2015. Member States clearly recognized the importance of new and emerging developments, such as climate change, and their impact on sustainable development overall and the achievement of the MDGs in particular, "especially for the most vulnerable countries. The Council affirmed that responses to climate change should be coordinated with social and economic development in an integrated manner. A further opportunity to do this will present itself when the Council will address, at its 2008 High-level Segment, "Implementing the internationally-agreed goals and commitments in regard to sustainable development".