Year of the "Bottom Billion"

(12 Jan 08 - RV) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this week stressed that 2008 should be the year of the “bottom billion,” to address the needs of the poorest of the world’s poor who have been left behind by global economic growth. He also called for fresh thinking on ways to help nations achieve the Millennium Development Goals, admitting that many countries are not on track to meet these results. Spokesman for the Secretary-General Alex Cerniglia told us more about the General’s remarks: