Heralding 2010 as the year of development, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Monday underscored the urgent need to ensure that action is accelerated to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), eight anti-poverty targets with a 2015 deadline.

"We live in an age of insecurity," Ban told reporters at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.

While many countries are experiencing an economic upswing, he said that "times are hard for too many people. Too many conflicts continue around the world. Too many people are being left behind."

With the world looking to the UN for leadership, the secretary-general declared this year as "the year of development."

"My message is simple: The MDGs are too big to fail," he said, highlighting the importance of investing in development to spur growth, boost security and improve the lives of families around the world.

This year must also be a year of action on other fronts, including climate change, Ban said.

Last month in the Danish capital of Copenhagen, countries "sealed the deal" on a political accord which seeks to jump-start immediate action on climate change and guide negotiations on long-term action. It also includes an agreement to working towards curbing global temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius, efforts to reduce or limit emissions, and pledges to mobilize US$100 billion a year for developing countries to combat climate change.

The secretary-general emphasized the importance of reaching a legally-binding agreement on climate change this year.

He also called for increasing opportunities for women and girls, stepping up efforts to achieve a nuclear-free world, bolstering human rights and the rule of law, and strengthening the UN system.

"We are ready to act.. ready to make 2010 a year of results for people," said Ban, who briefed the General Assembly on his priorities for the year and addressed staff in a town hall meeting earlier Monday.

Also on Monday, the Secretary-General cut a blue ribbon to inaugurate a temporary new building to house the Assembly and a large number of UN staff members as the world body's New York Headquarters undergoes renovations.

The new three-story, US$140 million structure sits on the UN compound's North Lawn, and will serve as the home base to the 192-member Assembly as the landmark 39-story Secretariat building towering over the East River and First Avenue in Manhattan is overhauled.

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2010)