Strasburg, 01/03/2005 (Agence Europe) - In a resolution adopted last Thursday on the action against hunger and poverty signed on 20 September 2004 in New York by 111 governments, including all those of the EU, the European Parliament called on the EU to rapidly implement the United Nations report entitled “Investing in Development: a practical plan to achieve the Millennium Development Goals” (see EUROPE of 19 January, p.13 concerning the press conference by Commissioner Louis Michel and the report's author Jeffrey Sachs). To achieve these objectives, international development aid, currently totalling 50 billion USD, should at least double, underline MEPs, who call on the Commission to foresee significant new sums to enable to launch of global initiatives, and also to grant specific importance to initiatives aimed at rapid progress (“quick wins”) put forward in the UN report. As for debt relief, the Parliament called for a priority to be given to least developed countries and to governments that respect human rights and the principals of good governance, on condition that these governments channel the money to the “poorest in their communities.” Moreover, MEPs insist on an increase in development aid and support the setting of annual intermediate targets before reaching the target of 0.7% in 2010. They also called for better usage of existing aid, by establishing new priorities and ending aid from money lenders.