UN Pledges to Help Poorest amid Global Financial Crisis

The United Nations has vowed to do its utmost to help the poorest and most vulnerable in developing countries tide over the global financial crisis.

Following a meeting with the UN Chief Executives Board on Friday, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told reporters that the organization has a special responsibility for the "protection of the poorest and most vulnerable".

"Our concern and priority will be focused on how to promote the well being and how to address the challenges of the poorest of the poor in addressing global financial crisis. We have agreed that the ODA and Millennium Development Goals should not be affected. We cannot allow the financial crisis to force millions of people back into extreme poverty."

Official Development Assistance, or ODA, consists of loans, grants, technical assistance and other forms of cooperation extended by governments to developing countries.

The UN chief added that the world organization will make concerted efforts to fight the global financial crisis.

"We agreed that the UN must act in a coordinated manner. We expressed our full commitment to the cause of economic development and will do our utmost to deal with the repercussions of this worldwide crisis."

Ban Ki-moon also revealed he plans to attend the G20 summit scheduled in mid November in Washington to address the crisis.