By Martin Banks - 7th September 2010
When I go to the MDGs event in New York I intend to commit an extra €1bn to the MDGs
Jose Manuel Barroso
The commission has announced plans to commit an extra €1bn towards fighting global poverty at this month's millennium development goals review summit in New York.
Commission president José Manuel Barroso made the pledge in his first 'state of the union' address to parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday.
He told MEPs, "Being open to the world means standing side by side with developing countries, especially with Africa.
"When I go to the MDGs event in New York I intend to commit an extra €1bn to the MDGs."
In his speech, Barroso also called for "more progress" on a G20 development agenda.
NGOs generally welcomed the announcement of more EU aid with ActionAid saying, "New and additional money is urgently needed to push forward the stalled international goals but the EC's money is not new and is not being matched by the EU member states.
"The EU needs a clear, long-term and fully financed plan on how to revive the MDGs.
"Whilst the €1bn announced today is welcome, it is not enough," said Laura Sullivan, ActionAid's European policy and campaign manager.
With just two weeks to go before the UN MDGs summit, which will review progress towards the 15 year anti-poverty goals, ActionAid is calling on the commission and member states to tackle global poverty and hunger.
The UN's Food and Agriculture Organisation has said that $40bn per year globally can deliver a 50 per cent reduction in poverty and hunger by 2015 – the most fundamental of the MDGs.
"One billion people going hungry is unacceptable. The EU has a good food security plan but no money to back it up," said Sullivan.
"€1bn is progress but only new money and a longer-term vision will get us back on track to halving poverty and hunger by 2015."
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