The United Nations NGO (non-governmental organizations) Section launched its Asia-Pacific regional network in Beijing Friday.

The network aims at boosting cooperation between the UN and NGOs in countries of the Asia-Pacific region, and promoting the implementation of UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in the region.

At a conference held Friday morning to mark the start-up of the network, NGO representatives from China and other countries in the Asia-Pacific region held discussions on generating employment, eradicating poverty and promoting sustained economic growth for social development.

The Chinese People's Association for Peace and Disarmament, a Chinese NGO, was appointed by the UN NGO Section as a coordinator of its Asia-Pacific regional network in April, 2005, responsible for promoting the implementation of MDGs in the region.

Initiated during the UN Millennium Summit in 2000, the Millennium Development Goals include reducing by half the proportion of people suffering from poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, eliminating gender disparity, reducing child mortality by two thirds and maternal mortality by three quarters, halting and reversing the incidence of major diseases, and reducing by a half the proportion of people without sustainable access to safe drinking water.

(Xinhua News Agency March 18, 2006)