Statement by Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Minister for Foreign Affairs, on a "Millennium Project" Report

January 18, 2005
Japanese

Mr. Nobutaka Machimura, Minister for Foreign Affairs, made the following statement on the report of the "Millennium Project": "Investing in Development: A Practical Plan to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)", on January 17th (Mon) (local time).

1. On January 17th (Mon) (local time), the "Millennium Project" delivered its report to Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, in New York. Towards the achievement of the MDGs, the report suggests mobilization of a wide range of development resources, not restricted to increased official development assistance (ODA) but including also private and domestic resources, field-based assistance, expansion of the donor base into middle-income countries, infrastructure for poverty reduction and differentiated support according to country- and regional-level needs. The Government of Japan values the fact that these aspects follow the same line of thinking as Japan's development assistance. Nevertheless, the Government of Japan is convinced that to meet the MDGs, it is necessary to learn from the experience of economic development in East Asia which shows that economic growth is essential for poverty reduction and that this point of view should be better reflected.
   
   
2. Following both this report and that of "The High-Level Panel on Threats, Challenges and Change", the Secretary-General will submit a report in March. The Government of Japan expects that the substance of his report will motivate the deepening of discussions in preparation for the summit meeting on the Millennium Declaration in September 2005 and is resolved to make full efforts to this end.

Note:

1. Millennium Project:
   An advisory body commissioned by Mr. Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, launched in July 2002, directed by Professor Jeffrey Sachs of Columbia University and tasked to research and analyze strategies for meeting MDGs, focusing in concrete on the priorities, means for implementation and financing options
   
   
2. Major events scheduled for this year
   March: Submission of the report by the Secretary-General of the United Nations (including development, UN reform, peace and security)
   September: Summit meeting on the Millennium Declaration

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