11/11/2005
Health Millennium Development Goals Meeting in Paris

The third meeting of the High-Level Forum on the Health Millennium Development Goals, organized jointly by the World Bank and World Health Organization (WHO), will be held in Paris at the International Conference Center, Avenue Kléber, on November 14 and 15. The meeting is under the high patronage of President Chirac Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy will open the forum alongside World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz and WHO Director-General Jong-wook Lee.

Leaders of the developing countries and their bi- and multilateral partners will take stock of policies in the health sector, evaluate progress and identify the constraints which countries face. Proposals for action will be made to move toward the Millennium Development Goals. Goals for 2015 include: reduce by two-thirds the under-five mortality rate, reduce by three-quarters the maternal mortality ratio, stop the spread of HIV/AIDS, bring malaria and other major diseases under control.

The United Nations system and the specialized Funds will be represented by their executive directors. Some 20 ministers for health, economy and finance from Africa, Asia and Latin America will be present as will the highest officials of bilateral agencies for official development assistance from the industrialized countries. In all more than 60 delegations will be there.