Cameron calls for focus on extreme poverty

The prime minister, in Liberia to attend a UN meeting, also insisted bolstering security and civil structures was crucial, alongside aid measures.

On the third leg of his tour of Africa, the Prime Minister will co-chair a United Nations meeting on what happens after the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) expire in 2015.

However, backing ambitious targets could fuel anger among Tory backbenchers at plans to raise aid spending to 0.7 per cent of UK GDP. This week the international development select committee called on the government to drop the 0.7 per cent target to avoid money being spent unwisely by the department for International Development (DIFD) just to meet the target.

Defence cuts

The premier was forced to concede yesterday that the defence budget could face more cuts in 2015-16, while the international development budget is protected.

There are also concerns that, as outlined in a speech in 2011, Mr Cameron is too reliant on the policy of investing in aid in order to combat terrorism.

In a recent survey conducted by think tank Chatham House nearly 60 per cent thought too much overseas aid was wasted and did not promote Britain’s interests.

Speaking to reporters this morning, Mr Cameron said: “Liberia is a country that was absolutely devastated by conflict and civil war.

Conflict, corruption, lack of justice, lack of the rule of law. David Cameron

“It is now recovering but there is still desperate poverty.

“I think it is very important we keep a focus on eradicating extreme poverty.

“Here in Liberia, one in 10 children do not make it to the age of five.

“But I also think it is important we look at those things that keep countries poor.

“Conflict, corruption, lack of justice, lack of the rule of law.

“These things matter as well as money.”

First premier visit

Mr Cameron is the first British prime minister to visit Liberia, where he will jointly chair the High Level Panel with the country’s president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

Charities have said he has an “historic opportunity” to lift 350 million children out of extreme poverty. Oxfam’s chief executive Barbara Stocking said: “Unpaid taxes by greedy corporations is enough to help poor countries end global hunger three times over.

“At this meeting, David Cameron should be pushing for an end to global hunger by 2025, and an end to tax dodging which could pay for this and much more.

“These companies are effectively taking food from hungry mouths.”

Time to deliver

Melanie Ward, ActionAid’s head of advocacy, said: “To his credit, David Cameron has already personally pledged to put women’s empowerment at the heart of the successor to the MDGs.

“Now is the time for him to deliver on that promise. If Cameron achieves one thing in Monrovia, it should be to find ways to lift the barriers stopping women participating in economic development.

“As long as 50 per cent of the world’s population remain unable to play a part in poverty reduction because they are denied the ability to make their own economic decisions and live their lives free from sexual violence, global development will be sluggish and shallow.”

Save the Children also highlighted growing inequality and weak accountability as two key obstacles to achieving rapid progress.

Mohamed Bah, country director for Plan International in Liberia, said: “If we want to end poverty, we need to prioritise the 66 million girls out of education.

“As they stand, the Millennium Development Goals fail adolescent girls – disregarding serious abuses like sexual violence and forced marriage which stop them from going to school.”

Mr Cameron is jointly chairing the high-level UN panel with the Liberian president Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf and the Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyo.

The eight original Millennium Development Goals, adopted by the United Nations in September 2000, focused on: poverty and hunger; universal education; gender equality; child health; maternal health; combatting HIV/Aids; environmental sustainability; global partnership.