Secretary-General’s
Video Message for Third China-Africa People’s Forum
Khartoum, Sudan, 12 May 2014
I am pleased to greet the Third
China-Africa People’s Forum.
I thank the China NGO Network for
International Exchanges and the Sudan NGO Network for co-organizing this
meeting.
I also thank the Government of
Sudan for hosting.
Ending extreme poverty in Africa
and across the world is a top priority for the United Nations. It is a moral and political imperative.
The remarkable mobilization
behind the Millennium Development Goals has cut global poverty by half. But there is still much to do.
Inequality is rising in rich and
poor countries alike. Jobs and inclusive
economic growth must be at the heart of the post-2015 development agenda.
Many African countries have made
important strides; several are among the world’s fastest growing economies, and
investors are taking notice. But too
many people remain in need or are suffering the devastating impacts of
conflict, including in Sudan and neighbouring South Sudan and the Central
African Republic.
China has become an important
trade and development partner for Africa.
I encourage you to use these deepening ties to make further inroads
against poverty, to combat disease and climate change, to strengthen governance
and ensure the equitable distribution of the continent’s natural resources, and
to tap the talents of Africa’s people, especially women and youth.
Africans are writing a new
narrative in their history. The United
Nations remains firmly committed to support Africa’s aspirations.
Let us all work together to
achieve sustainable development, human rights and a life of dignity for all.
I wish you a successful
conference. |
