The Millennium Development Goals, as a joint commitment of the international community (55th UN session in September 2000), are subject of a global consensus (see also the Paris declaration and the Conference on development financing). They constitute the instrument par excellence to fight poverty. They also form the basis for national poverty reduction strategies. They are a testimony to the governments' commitment to eradicate this scourge. But in spite of all efforts, poverty continues to make millions of victims year after year.

Poverty deprives 40% of the world's people (2.5 billion individuals) of a minimum income and access to basic social services: health, education, water, food, etc. Feminisation of poverty is becoming a universal phenomenon.

It remains an established fact that mass poverty rages on at this beginning of the 21st century in which the world is accomplishing amazing progress in the fields of science, technology, industry and the accumulation of wealth.

To tackle this collective challenge, a sense of urgency is imposing itself: « To translate the MDGs into a poverty reduction bill ». That is the goal of the 3rd edition of the Grand Diplomatic North-South Conferences, hosted by a West-African country (to be determined) in the 3rd trimester of 2009.

The process designed to lead to the formulation of a model poverty reduction bill attaches major importance to public consultations and genuine participation of all involved actors (women, youth, MPs, technical ministries, grassroots populations, dialogue networks, a.s.o.).