UN chief: Bush’s African tour is “very important”

WASHINGTON, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) — UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said here on Friday U.S. President George W. Bush’s visit to Africa is “very important” while urging him to make more effort to help eradicate hunger and disease on the continent.

Speaking to reporters after talks with Bush at the White House, Ban said he hoped that Bush is able to “discuss with African leaders how to realize these Millennium Development Goals, how to help people overcome abject poverty.”

The UN General Assembly adopted in 2000 a Millennium Declaration that calls for the global adoption of eight goals by 2015, including ending hunger and poverty, achieving universal education, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health and promoting gender equality.

Other goals include environmental sustainability, ending HIV/AIDS and malaria, and creating global development partnerships.

Bush will leave here Friday on a week-long tour of Africa, his second visit to the continent since he became president. He is expected to visit Benin, Tanzania, Rwanda, Ghana and Liberia between Friday and Thursday.
UN chief: Bush’s African tour is “very important”_English_Xinhua