Members of an alliance of developing countries, Partners in Population and Development proclaimed Thursday they would continue their strong commitment to the Programme of Action of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD/PoA).

With the adoption of the Yangtze Declaration, the Partners celebrated its first South-South Collaboration Day in Wuhan along the Yangtze River.

The declaration, issued Thursday, wrapped up the three-day International Forum on Population and Development.

"The Chinese Government has exerted proactive efforts to promote and develop its exchanges and co-operation with other member countries of the Partners on the basis of equality, sincerity and mutual respect," said Hua Jianmin, State Councillor at the celebration of the 10th Anniversary of Partners and the South-South Collaboration Day.

Ten years ago, at the Cairo International Conference on Population and Development, 10 developing countries initiated the Partners, now numbering 21.

Last year, the eighth Annual Board Meeting of the Partners designated September 9 as the South-South Collaboration Day.

Hua said since November 1997 when China joined the Partners, China has been an active advocate and participant of the South-South co-operation and a beneficiary of such co-operation.

Dr Thoraya Obaid, UN Under-Secretary-General spoke highly of the declaration, saying it has developed strategies for co-operative work and better implementation of ICPD/PoA and Millennium Development Goals under the framework of the South-South Collaboration.

"I feel very encouraged that the declaration has noted the difficulties of the 50 least developed countries, which need special attentions," said Anwarul K.Chowdhury, another Under-Secretary-General of the UN.

The declaration emphasized the need for governments and the international community to demonstrate strong political will and commitment to fully realize the potential for the South-South Co-operation, to help the most vulnerable, which are experiencing high rates of population growth and extreme levels of poverty.

Dr Timothee Gandaho, executive of the Partners, said the poverty is always related to the population problem and is still the number one enemy for the developing countries.

Zhang Weiqing, minister of the National Population and Family Planning Commission said the forum and declaration have historical significance and help people reconfirm the population issue as one of the most important issues in poverty alleviation and sustainable development in developing countries.

He said the declaration has shown a strong commitment to the implementation of the ICPD/PoA and strong determination to tackle all the challenges in the fields of population and development.

He said the effect of the declaration will be seen greatly in the next 10 years.