Ethiopia, Feb 1 (IANS) UN will hold a global summit in September to discuss ways to achieve the Millennium Development Goals before the end of its deadline set by the world body.

'We have made great strides toward the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), but there is not much time to the 2015 deadline, and still much distance to travel,' UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said.

He pledged to mobilise support to tackle the critical challenges threatening peace and prosperity across Africa, including extreme poverty, economic and social well-being, and the ravages of climate change.

The summit will focus on harnessing support for the success of the MDGs, identifying gaps that need urgent attention, emphasising priority areas for action and building a coalition capable of taking action, Ban said.

Addressing the African Union (AU) summit, Ban said the September conference will take place along with the opening of the UN General Assembly in New York where leaders of the 192 member states meet each year, BuaNews reported Monday.

The global recession, energy crisis, food insecurity and climate change have all made development more difficult and more urgent, he told more than 50 heads of state attending the three-day African summit.

Providing decent employment to all Africans, especially women, should be the priority for the continent, he said.

'The most important employment sector remains agriculture, with more than half of the workforce. And of course, we must invest in women and girls. When we empower women, we empower Africa'.