COLOMBO: Malaysia will give its input to the association of Commonwealth nations with regards to the United Nation's Post Millennium Development Goals.
The eight goals, initiated in 2000, are aimed at halving extreme poverty, halting the spread of HIV/AIDS, providing universal primary education, reducing child mortality, promoting gender equality, improving mental health, ensuring sustainable environment and prompting global partnership for development by 2015.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said leaders attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here decided that the 53-member association play a more decisive role in shaping the outcome of the post millennium goals in 2015.
"To achieve this, a conference of CHOGM finance ministers will be held to discuss the matter and prepare input to determine the direction of UN's post millennium development goals," he told Malaysian journalists after officiating Foshwa Pvt Ltd's One-Stop-Centre for Malaysian visas at a ceremony here Saturday.
He said Malaysia would give its input to CHOGM by 2014 before the Commonwealth body presents its views to the United Nations.
Meanwhile, Najib said leaders participating in CHOGM continued their discussions on how to achieve sustainable, equitable and inclusive development for member nations.
He said that discussions, which only involved heads of states or their representatives, were carried out in a relaxed manner without any contentious issues raised.
He added that Malaysia's views, which he earlier presented, would form part of CHOGM's Communique.