6th November, 2004
The eradication of poverty and hunger is the most important global issue, according to a world-wide survey published in Brazil this week.

The survey - carried out for the World Economic Forum by Gallup International - found that four out of 10 people rated that as the most important of the United Nations Millennium Goals.

Twelve per cent of the more than 50,000 people in 60 countries who took part rated the development of a global partnership to help the poor and under-developed as the most important.

Environmental sustainability, the fight against diseases such as HIV/AIDS and malaria and achieving universal primary education were all rated the most important issues by 10 per cent of those surveyed respectively.

While as many as 50 per cent of people surveyed in Latin America rated the eradication of poverty as the most important priority, the figure dropped to 36 per cent of those living in the Asia Pacific region - which includes Australia - and only 29 per cent in North America.

Combating diseases was rated as the most important priority by the greatest percentage of people in Africa (22 per cent) while environmental sustainability received its highest rating in Asia Pacific (21 per cent) and achieving a universal primary education received its highest rating in North America (19 per cent).

- DAVID ADAMS