UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has appointed former German President Horst Köhler, along with 26 other eminent figures, to a new committee for the development of global development goals.

Enlarge image UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon names advisory committee (© picture-alliance/ Photoshot) British Prime Minister David Cameron, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Liberian President and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Ellen Johnson Sirleaf are to lead the High-level Panel that is to issue recommendations for global growth and for the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals for 2015.

Ban stated on Tuesday that the group will focus on options for combatting poverty and for working towards sustainable development. The advisory committee is to meet for the first time in late September, on the fringes of the annual UN General Assembly, and submit a preliminary report by mid-2013.

On Wednesday, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle welcomed Köhler’s appointment to the panel. He said he was pleased that Köhler would contribute, "with his long experience at the International Monetary Fund and his engagement in Africa", towards the elaboration of future UN development goals. Westerwelle added that the German government would support Köhler in this initiative.

German Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development Dirk Niebel said that Köhler has proven time and again that he is a proactive and dedicated professional on global issues. He added that the appointment is the expression of the great esteem that the former German president enjoys around the world, and recognises Germany’s political engagement towards development. "I am proud that his bid for a seat in the High-level Panel was successful," Niebel stated.