Seven billionth world citizen soon to be born

In just a few weeks, a baby who will be the 7 billionth inhabitant of planet Earth will be born. In view of this milestone, DESA News interviewed Hania Zlotnik, who heads UN DESA’s Population Division, the unit in charge of preparing the official UN population projections that provide the basis for estimating the day when the world population will cross the 7 billion mark. Read more

Building a better world with cooperatives

Over one billion people are members of cooperatives, a serious enterprise model that puts people at the heart of all business. Owned and controlled by the members they serve, they are great tools for empowering people. On 31 October, the International Year of Cooperatives 2012 will be launched at the UN in New York, setting off initiatives and events across the globe. Read more

Closing the Gap

“We cannot afford to leave the poor even further behind,” stated Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon as the MDG Gap Task Force report was released on 16 September. Although support has increased significantly since 2000, the report shows that donors need to further intensify their development assistance if we are to attain the MDGs by 2015. Read more

Technical reports

MDG Gap Task Force Report 2011:
The Global Partnership for Development: Time to Deliver

The MDG Gap Task Force Report 2011 released on 16 September, shows that if the MDGs are to be achieved, a serious shortfall in funding must be addressed. It also highlights that significant gaps remain in delivering on the commitments in the areas of aid, trade, debt relief, and access to new technologies and to affordable essential medicines. A number of crucial commitments that were supposed to have been reached by 2010, including increased aid volume, improved aid effectiveness, and the conclusion of the Doha Round of trade negotiations, have not been met. Read more

Mr. Nikhil Seth has been appointed as Director for the Division for Sustainable Development (DSD) and Head of the Office of the Conference Secretary-General (CSG) Mr. Sha Zukang for the Rio+20 Secretariat effective 1 September. Read more