Five years on from Mandela's speech in Trafalgar Square
03 February 2010
Douglas Alexander today highlighted Britain’s progress on helping the world’s poorest people on the anniversary of Nelson Mandela’s landmark Trafalgar Square address.
The International Development Secretary hailed the achievements of the past five years with the UK firmly on track to fulfil the promises made at the Gleneagles summit.
Nelson Mandela’s speech helped launch the Make Poverty History campaign which mobilised millions of ordinary people to demand debt relief, trade justice and a fairer deal for the world’s poor.
The UK has led the world in its response. It has helped keep 5.5 million children in school, bring treatment for AIDS to 4 million people and supply clean water to more than seven million people in Africa alone.
And it has led the way in cancelling the debts of the poorest countries.
But Mr Alexander warned that the effects of the global financial crisis and a lack of progress against the Millennium Development Goals could undermine the successes since 2005.
Douglas Alexander said:
“It is five years since Nelson Mandela captured the imagination of millions by calling on world leaders to make poverty history and it is right that we should assess what we have achieved. “Since 2005, the UK has helped make real improvements to the lives of millions of poor people in Asia and Africa – giving them the chance to lift themselves out of poverty. “We are on track to meet the commitments we made at Gleneagles and we can be proud of the start we have made. “We have been at the forefront of debt relief, giving poor countries the opportunity to spend money on their citizens rather than servicing debts to rich countries and institutions. “But there is much more work to be done if the world is going to meet the Millennium Development Goals and time is running out. The UK is meeting its promises – now others is the international community must do the same.”
“It is five years since Nelson Mandela captured the imagination of millions by calling on world leaders to make poverty history and it is right that we should assess what we have achieved.
“Since 2005, the UK has helped make real improvements to the lives of millions of poor people in Asia and Africa – giving them the chance to lift themselves out of poverty.
“We are on track to meet the commitments we made at Gleneagles and we can be proud of the start we have made.
“We have been at the forefront of debt relief, giving poor countries the opportunity to spend money on their citizens rather than servicing debts to rich countries and institutions.
“But there is much more work to be done if the world is going to meet the Millennium Development Goals and time is running out. The UK is meeting its promises – now others is the international community must do the same.”
How the UK is meeting the commitments made at Gleneagles.
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