U.S. Efforts on the Millennium Report "Call To Action" on Poverty and Economic Development Issues
September 7, 2000
The Clinton Administration strongly supports Secretary General Kofi Annan's call to action on poverty alleviation, on economic and social development, and on measures to equip the developing world to take advantage of the worldwide revolution in information technology.
The Clinton Administration is acting aggressively on this broad range of issues. Due in part to U.S. leadership, the recent G-8 Summit in Okinawa, Japan had an unprecedented focus on economic development issues. President Clinton called for a stronger global partnership in support of development and strongly supported the G-8's appeal for bilateral, multilateral and private sector donors to increase their support for countries with effective policies in three areas critical to poverty reduction: infectious disease, basic education and the digital divide.
Support for UN initiatives. The United States is the largest supporter of UN humanitarian and development agencies, providing more than $1.5 billion for critical interventions relating to poverty alleviation, education and training, and relief to refugees and displaced persons.
Child survival. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) commits more than $600 million per year to child survival programs alone - critical early interventions in basic education, vaccination, and maternal and other health issues. These programs are estimated to save more than four million lives per year and have made a major contribution to a 10 percent reduction in infant mortality over the past eight years.
Promoting Clean Water. Through its Environmental Education and Communication Project and other programs, USAID helps school children around the world protect and manage clean water. USAID also works with public officials to promote watershed management and with citizens to test the quality of their water. Earlier this year, the Secretary of State proposed a "Global Alliance for Water Security in the 21st Century" to heighten awareness and enlist support for a strategy aimed at improved management of the world's water resources. The U.S. objective is to use this initiative to encourage leaders in key regions to develop sound water area management plans, ensure that development projects incorporate sound water management practices, foster an international dialogue on how to manage water wisely, and continue to educate people about the imperative of sound integrated water resources management.
Support for Education. The Clinton Administration is seeking more than $55 million in additional funds next year to promote universal basic education, and is moving forward on a new $300 million global food for education initiative: a pilot program to promote school meals and pre-school nutrition in developing countries as a means of improving student enrollment, attendance and performance.
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