United Nations Foundation Hosts Obama Administration Unveiling of Strategy to Advance the UN Millennium Development Goals

Plan Underscores How Smart Partnerships Can Tackle Global Poverty

Washington (Vocus) July 30, 2010

Obama Administration officials today unveiled the U.S. Government’s strategy for advancing the United Nations Millennium Development Goals, with an emphasis on innovative and sustainable approaches to the world’s most urgent challenges, during a high-level working session hosted by the United Nations Foundation. President Obama has boldly pledged that the Millennium Development Goals are ‘America’s Goals,’ and in September, he will appear before a gathering of world leaders at the United Nations to deliver the United States’ plan to help achieve the Goals.

Today’s meeting underscored that effective partnerships between governments, the private sector, and NGOs are one of the most important ways to mobilize global action to eradicate poverty and disease. The UN Foundation welcomed NSC Senior Director Gayle Smith, USAID Administrator Raj Shah, Ambassador Rick Barton, as well as representatives from the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, to the briefing with top UN and NGO officials to coordinate efforts around the new plan. The discussion focused on ways that the U.S. strategy aligns ongoing assistance programs with education and advocacy to achieve the greatest impact. Participants shared ideas about how they can partner to fight poverty, hunger, climate change, disease, and improve the health of women and children worldwide. Click here for a full copy of the report.

“We are grateful to the UN Foundation for bringing together such a wide range of partners to map out ways we can be more creative and effective in solving global problems,” said Rajiv Shah, Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). “President Obama has said that the MDGs are ‘America’s Goals’ and the strategy we presented today shows how we can build on our progress to date and achieve the Goals in a smarter, more coordinated, and effective way.”

“It is significant that the Administration is making the MDGs a priority, both leading up to the September MDG Summit and beyond,” said Kathy Calvin, CEO of the UN Foundation. “The U.S. Government’s bold leadership will signal to the world that the U.S. is committed to working with the UN, other donor countries, civil society, and partners to ensure foreign aid is more effective and sustainable.”

Earlier this week, Calvin testified before the House of Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on International Organizations on the value of partnerships in achieving the MDGs. Calvin discussed how much more can be achieved when partners align their work toward shared goals, “The MDGs are an internationally-recognized framework to allow bilateral and multilateral donors to work closely with the developing world to eradicate extreme poverty.”

About the UN Foundation
The United Nations Foundation, a public charity, was created in 1998 with entrepreneur and philanthropist Ted Turner’s historic $1 billion gift to support UN causes and activities. We build and implement public/private partnerships to address the world’s most pressing problems, and work to broaden support for the UN through advocacy and public outreach. Through our campaigns and partnerships, we connect people, ideas, and resources to help the UN solve global problems. The campaigns we conduct reduce child mortality, empower women and girls, create a new energy future, secure peace and human rights, and promote technology innovation to improve health outcomes. For more information, visit http://www.unfoundation.org].

Media Contacts:
Aaron Sherinian, Executive Director of Public Affairs
asherinian(at)unfoundation(dot)org; (202) 778-1622
Heather Wong, Communications Director
hwong(at)unfoundation(dot)org; (202) 862-6310

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