Stand Up Against Poverty
Over 100 million people mobilized under the slogan “Stand Up - Take Action” at events in more than 100 countries around the globe between 17 and 19 October to demand that world leaders do not use the financial crisis as an excuse for breaking the promises they made in 2000 to achieve the Millennium Development Goals. "In rich and poor countries, at concerts and sporting events, in universities and in houses of worship, millions of people showed that they will not remain seated in the face of poverty and broken promises to end it” said Salil Shetty, Director of the UN Millennium Campaign.

High-level Meeting on Africa’s Development Needs Concerned by the deepening effects of the global food crisis and climate change on Africa’s ability to eradicate poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals, world leaders attending a high-level meeting of the General Assembly on 22 September recommitted themselves to strengthening a “global partnership of equals”, based on shared responsibility and determination to mobilize resources. They adopted a political declaration on “Africa’s development needs: state of implementation of various commitments, challenges and the way forward."