The Millennium Development Goals: Five years later

The 2005 World Summit, which took place September 14-16 at United Nations Headquarters in New York, brought together more than 170 heads of state and government. The summit's agenda was based on a series of proposals put forward by Secretary-General Kofi Annan in his report In Larger Freedom.

At the Summit, world leaders agreed to intervene on a variety of fronts to address major global issues. Governments made strong commitments to achieving the development goals set out in the Millennium Declaration by 2015, pledging an additional $50 billion per year to fight poverty, determined to find innovative sources of development finance as well as additional measures to ensure long-term debt sustainability. They also declared themselves firmly committed to trade liberalization and pledged to work diligently to implement the development aspects of the Doha work program.

The Responsibility to Protect

In the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document (A/RES/60/1) Member States noted the "Responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity". The Outcome Document stated, in paragraph 138, that "Each individual State has the responsibility to protect its populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. This responsibility entails the prevention of such crimes, including their incitement, through appropriate and necessary means. We accept that responsibility and will act in accordance with it. The international community should, as appropriate, encourage and help States to exercise this responsibility and support the United Nations in establishing an early warning capability."

In paragraph 139, the Outcome Document stated that "The international community, through the United Nations, also has the responsibility to use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means, in accordance with Chapters VI and VIII of the Charter, to help to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. In this context, we are prepared to take collective action, in a timely and decisive manner, through the Security Council, in accordance with the Charter, including Chapter VII, on a case-by-case basis and in cooperation with relevant regional organizations as appropriate, should peaceful means be inadequate and national authorities are manifestly failing to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. We stress the need for the General Assembly to continue consideration of the responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and its implications, bearing in mind the principles of the Charter and international law. We also intend to commit ourselves, as necessary and appropriate, to helping States build capacity to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and to assisting those which are under stress before crises and conflicts break out."