” “"Every year, the World Day for the eradication of poverty reminds us" of a "dramatic reality". "Over one billion people live below the threshold of extreme poverty (an income of one dollar a day). Over 800 million people are starving". The EU too is taking part "with anxiety" in today’s special event, established in 1987, highlighting the fact that "every year, six million people under five years of age starve to death", while "every thirty seconds an African child dies from malaria". In particular, Barroso’s Commission denounces the fact that "the Objectives of the Millennium for development are far from being achieved". The Commissioner for humanitarian aids, Louis Michel, states that "Europe can and must take action in this long-term battle. It must do it for moral reasons as well as because fighting poverty in the world is the best structural response to the world challenges of peace, security, migration". The EU, explained Michel today, remains the world’s greatest donor of humanitarian aids and cooperation: in 2006 the 25 member states have allocated 46 billion euros for the "third world", equal to one half the world’s allocations to development.” “
