Bringing the Millennium Development Goals Back Home
2005 is a milestone year in the fight against global poverty. The Millennium+5 Summit in September will reveal the urgent need to step up activity at all levels to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. In order to galvanise all sectors of society, awareness-building action at the local level is indispensable.
We, the Mayors and local government representatives of the world and members of United Cities and Local Governments, representing over half the world’s population in 127 UN member states, are determined to see the Millennium Development Goals and Targets met. We are demonstrating this unconditional determination by:
Making top priority of the Millennium Development Goals and Targets: to eradicate poverty and hunger, ensure all boys and girls complete primary school, promote gender equality, improve the health of mothers and children, reverse the spread of HIV/AIDS, improve the living conditions of slum-dwellers, ensure access to drinking water and sanitation, protect the environment and create a global partnership for development by ensuring rich countries give more and better aid, debt relief and trade opportunities to poorer countries;
Highlighting the indispensable need for action at the local level in achieving these eight Goals by 2015;
Underlining the crucial role of local government in promoting gender equality as a tool for development;
Raising awareness that the Millennium Development Goals require commitment from society as a whole, and that the mobilisation of local governments will be crucial to their success.
We, the Mayors and local government representatives of the world call on Heads of State and government meeting on 14 September 2005 in New York for the Millennium+5 Summit to:
Keep the promises made in the Millennium Declaration, and take advantage of this historic opportunity to make poverty history and create a more peaceful world;
Ensure that the Millennium Development Goals are met in each and every country;
Formally recognise the role of local government as an essential and unique partner in implementing the Millennium Development Goals;
local governments with the necessary resources and powers to play their full part on behalf of their citizens in meeting the Goals and Targets in each country;
Establish a formal advisory role for local government within the UN on issues of global governance.
We, Mayors and local government representatives of the world, are committed to:
Strengthen local governance to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015, by enhanced citizen participation and effective partnerships with local communities and the private sector;
Launch the Millennium Cities and Towns Campaign to demonstrate and promote the commitment of local governments and their citizens to achieving the Millennium Development Goals and Targets.
Approved by the UCLG World Council, Beijing, 10 June 2005
