United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon says that the world's goals for fighting poverty remain achievable in most countries, but only if urgent and concerted action is taken.

Addressing the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in Geneva, Mr. Ban said the mid-point progress report on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) - which was released today - contained encouraging messages.

"Countries in Africa and elsewhere are demonstrating that rapid and large-scale progress on the MDGs is possible," Mr. Ban said, referring to the set of eight development objectives which world leaders have agreed to work towards by the target date of 2015.

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