All eyes on 2005 World Summit in New York

The world’s largest summit ever is to take place from 14 to 16 September at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. It is expected to bring together more than 170 Heads of State and Government. World leaders attending it are expected to take bold decisions in the areas of development, security, human rights and reform of the United Nations. The agenda is based on an achievable set of proposals outlined by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in his report In Larger Freedom: Towards Development, Security and Human Rights for All.

An event of decisive importance, the Summit will also comprehensively review the implementation of the 2000 Millennium Declaration and the integrated follow-up to other major United Nations conferences and summits in the economic, social and related fields.
In complement to the above-cited report, a progress report on the Millennium Development Goals was also issued (see page 5) which served as a key resource for the Summit.

In an address to the Economic and Social Council delivered on 29 June, Mr. Annan stated: “The World Summit offers a once-in-a-generation opportunity to give a major boost to our efforts to reach the development goals. It is also a chance to advance the broader development agenda and the larger challenges of development that confront us, in particular such core issues as growing inequality, persistent gender inequality, and increasing the participation of developing countries in global economic governance”.

For more information on the summit, please visit http://www.un.org/ga/59/hl60_plenarymeeting.html