Developing nations must help themselves, says Obama

US president Barack Obama on Wednesday told a special United Nations summit that developing nations would have to help themselves and not completely depend on aid from developed world, which itself is struggling with a financial crisis.

''To developing countries, this must be your moment of responsibility as well. We want you to prosper and succeed - it's in your interest, and it's in our interest,'' Obama told the millennium development goals summit at the UN. ''We want to help you realise your aspirations.

But there is no substitute for your leadership. Only you and your people can make the tough choices that will unleash the dynamism of your country. Only you can make the sustainable investments that improve the health and well-being of your people.''

Obama added, ''For too long progress in fighting poverty was measured by the sums spent to deliver food and medicine - a practice that has saved lives in the short term but not always helped poor countries develop. We need more than just aid to unleash that change. We need to harness all the tools at our disposal - from our diplomacy to our trade and investment policies."

The three-day summit ended by adopting a declaration agreed earlier this month, which promised intensified efforts by the 192 UN member states to achieve the world body's so-called Millennium Development Goals by 2015.

The eight millennium development goals (MDGs) include eradication of extreme poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, combating HIV/AIDS, and ensuring environmental sustainability.

Acknowledging that the developed world is struggling with its own financial crisis, Obama appealed to the people of rich countries not to turn their backs on the poorer countries even in these difficult times.