The achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was already under threat before the start of the global financial crisis, the prospect of poverty reduction in certain parts of the developing world has now been 'effectively eliminated' says the World Bank in its Global Monitoring Report April 2009.

The report assesses the crisis impact on the MDGs and investigates overall progress. It gives a regional outlook and takes a closer look at progress goal by goal.

Priorities for action are reported as follows:

*    ensuring an adequate fiscal response to support economic growth and protect poor and vulnerable groups from the impact of the crisis - consistent with maintenance of macroeconomic stability
*    shoring up the private sector and improve the climate for recovery and growth in private investment, including paying special attention to strengthening financial systems
*    enhancing efforts toward the human development goals, including leveraging the private sector role
*    scaling up aid to poor and vulnerable countries hit hard by the crisis
*    maintaining an open trade and finance system - including quick action on the Doha Round
*    ensuring that the multilateral system has the mandate, resources, and instruments to support an effective global response to the global crisis.

Further information can be found on the World Bank website