Japan to spearhead global health drive during G-8 presidency
Tuesday, 27 November 2007
TOKYO, Nov 26 (AFP): Japan will use its G8 presidency next year to spearhead a health drive aiming to get the world back on track in meeting the UN Millennium Development Goals, the foreign minister said Sunday.
The goals declared at a UN summit in 2000 seek progress in eight areas by 2015 including cutting child mortality rates and halting the spread of AIDS, but studies have shown some targets are set to be badly missed.
Japan next year takes over from Germany as head of the Group of Eight major industrial nations and will host its summit in July. Japan has also invited African leaders in May for the fourth summit of its Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) initiative.
"At TICAD IV, Japan intends to take up the issue of health in Africa, and at the G8 Summit, the wider issue of global health," Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said.
The goals declared at a UN summit in 2000 seek progress in eight areas by 2015 including cutting child mortality rates and halting the spread of AIDS, but studies have shown some targets are set to be badly missed.
Japan next year takes over from Germany as head of the Group of Eight major industrial nations and will host its summit in July. Japan has also invited African leaders in May for the fourth summit of its Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) initiative.
"At TICAD IV, Japan intends to take up the issue of health in Africa, and at the G8 Summit, the wider issue of global health," Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said.