18/10/2005 (Agence Europe) - “At the upcoming WTO conference in Hong Kong in December, we need a strong political commitment from the international community if we are to take the steps necessary to bring an end to poverty, hunger and disease”, European Parliament President Josep Borrell said on the occasion of the 17 October International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. He stressed that the EU is the world's largest development aid donor, giving EUR 46,000 million in development aid in 2005. The European Council has decided to increase this aid to EUR 66,000 million in 2010. “Every single day, 30,000 children are dying as a result of extreme poverty: the EUR 70 which each member of the public in the wealthier countries pays each year is, in development aid terms, the equivalent of the price of a cup of coffee each week”, President Borrell commented. “On this symbolic day, I wish to reiterate that we must continue working together using the resources and knowledge available to us to change this situation and 'make poverty history'”, he said.