Ban Ki-Moon appoints panel for new MDG targetsBy KEMO CHAM | Thursday, May 10   2012 at  19:02

Liberia's President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, together with the leaders of Indonesia and Britain, has been appointed to lead a global panel to set new international targets on sustainable development.

The appointments were announced Wednesday by the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon; the panel is expected to commence work following June's much anticipated UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro in June.

President Sirleaf, Prime Minister David Cameron of Britain, and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono of Indonesia will be spearheading the crusade aimed at eliminating poverty.

“I am grateful to these three leaders for their commitment,” the UN chief said in a statement announcing the new panel, which is expected to set new targets to replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

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The present set of global development goals [MDGs] expires in 2015, and there is uncertainty as to the feasibility of meeting them on time.

There have been ongoing negotiations to set new goals which will focus on improving 'green' economies thereby saving the earth's resources.

President Sirleaf will represent the world's low-income countries, whereas Cameron and Yudhoyono will represent, respectively, the rich and middle- income countries.

The MDGs were the product of a 2000 UN conference in New York, which seeks to spur anti-poverty efforts with its eight goals, including one to halve the proportion of the world's population with less than $1 a day income, many of whom are Africa.

They also seek to halve the proportion of people who suffer from hunger