Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP

One of Gordon Brown’s first acts when he became Prime Minister was to ask for a report on what we must do to meet the Millennium Development Goals and to eradicate illiteracy, disease and poverty.  The UN Secretary General’s progress report made it clear there’s still a need for urgent and concerted action, especially in Africa. 

The Prime Minister addressed the United Nations, after this disappointing progress of the millennium goals.  He is clear that we must live up to the promises we made.  315 million people live on a dollar a day, hunger still strikes and 77 million girls and boys around the world will never get the chance to go to school. 

Our schools along with our local churches are amongst the most committed campaigners to end poverty.  Both Balerno and Currie High Schools have established links with Africa through school exchanges and teachers carrying out placements and the Currie Baptist Church have spoken to me about their concerns and campaigning.

I was pleased the Prime Minister launched the Global Health Campaign last month which will build national health services in some of the world’s poorest countries.  Seven countries in Africa and Asia have signed up to the new International Health Partnership (IHP).  It aims to accelerate progress on millennium development goals by fighting illnesses like HIV/AIDS, cutting childhood deaths and improving maternal mortality.

The scale of the challenge is such that we cannot leave it to some other time and some other people.  We have the science, technology, medicine and wealth to help those who need it now.