By Holy See Mission
Statement by H.E. Archbishop Celestino
Migliore
Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See
63rd session of the
United Nations General Assembly
High-level event on the Millennium Development Goals
convened by the Secretary-General and the
President of the General AssemblyNew York, 25 September 2008 Mr
President,
When in the year
2000 the leaders of the world convened in this hall, they took up the
commitment to fight extreme poverty by setting specific goals to address hunger,
education, inequality, child and maternal health, environmental damage and
HIV/AIDS by 2015.
This great
responsibility was assumed out of international solidarity as well as in the
name of human rights. It is, therefore, not a mere coincidence that our meeting
is taking place in the same year that we celebrate the 60th
anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
A precise
relationship exists, in fact, among the Millennium Development Goals as set
forth in the UN Millennium Declaration and human rights. What is more, they have
in common the objective to preserve and protect human dignity.
In
addition, the achievement of these goals is closely interrelated with respect
for human rights. While the goals are ultimately political commitments,
the human rights inherent in each goal make achieving them a social and moral
responsibility.
It is with this
sense of responsibility that the world is reunited today at the highest level of
representation to take stock of the situation.
The
Secretary-General’s Report rightly acknowledges the progress which has been
achieved across the spectrum, but it also sounds a strong alarm as
the delivery on commitments made by member States remains deficient.
Areas such as
official development aid, trade, debt relief, assistance for capacity
development, access to new technologies and essential medicines continue to fall
behind our commitments and our words of support.
We are lagging
behind in honouring our word, and more importantly, the people of the world who
look to us for leadership, are running out of hope and trust.
The last eight
years have shown that with international, national and local commitment many
nations are now more economically independent. Some developing countries have
become middle income countries and middle income countries are on the brink of
turning into highly developed economies.
Several Least
Developed Countries have made remarkable progress with some of the MDGs, for
example, the elimination of extreme poverty and the achievement of universal
access to education.
Nonetheless, the
recent high rate of economic growth in many LDCs has not contributed
sufficiently to tackling the situation of generalized poverty. The LDCs remain
behind and are in serious delay for attaining the goals as set out in the
Millennium Declaration, and in some cases reaching the goals may prove
impossible.
A failure in
attaining the MDGs in the LDCs and other poor countries would mean a moral
failure of the whole international community and have political and economic
consequences even beyond the geographic boundaries of the LDCs.
It is therefore
important that this forum be a moment of reflection on communal responsibility.
The MDGs will be
achieved if their attainment becomes a priority for all States.
Above all, we
need to foment a new culture of human relations marked by a fraternal vision of
the world, a culture based upon the moral imperative of recognizing the unity of
humankind and the practical imperative of giving a contribution to peace and the
well-being of all.
The money and
resources that the LDCs need in terms of direct aid, financial assistance and
trade advantages are meager compared to the world-wide military expenses or the
total expenses of non-primary necessities of populations in more developed
countries.
The fact that
various LDCs with rather limited resources are obtaining important results
should inspire the international community.
The effectiveness
of civil society, including religious organizations serving poorer populations,
is the practical proof of the possibility to achieve the goals by 2015 or in the
proximate successive years.
Civil society and
faith-based organizations remain indispensable actors in the delivery of vital
goods and services, and greater efforts should be made to allow them access to
populations in need. After all, these organizations are often capable of serving
the needs of the most destitute and underprivileged.
The Holy See and
its affiliated organizations are committed to providing humanitarian as well as
development assistance around the world.
Mr
President,
With only seven
years remaining until the end of the MDGs campaign, it is important that we
focus upon the goals in the Millennium Declaration which were agreed upon by our
Heads of State.
To debate and
create new targets, such as those on sexual and reproductive health, risks
introducing practices and policies detrimental to human dignity and sustainable
development, distracting our focus from the original goals and diverting the
necessary resources from the more basic and urgent needs.
In these days we
are witnessing a debate on an economic rescue aimed at resolving a crisis that
risks disrupting the economy of the most developed countries and leaving
thousands and thousands of families without work.
This rescue of
enormous proportions, which amounts to many times the whole of international
aid, cannot but raise a pressing question. How are we able to find funds
to save a broken financial system yet remain unable to find the resources
necessary to invest in the development of all regions of the world, beginning
with the most destitute?
For this reason,
the globalization of solidarity through the prompt achievement of the MDGs
established by the Millennium Declaration is a crucial moral obligation of the
international community.
It is also a
great and most effective means of giving stability to the global economy and
assuring the prosperity and enjoyment of human rights for all.
Thank you, Mr President.
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