World leaders have descended upon the United Nations this week for the 63rd annual plenary session of the General Assembly and the malaria community is all abuzz with excitement (pun absolutely intended). A major focus of this week’s events at the UN will be the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015, including defeating malaria.

Malaria nearly 1 million people a year – mostly children in Africa – but increased funding and political will in recent years have put the world in a position to radically reduce deaths by 2015. Malaria is a key component to achieving the MDGs, as it affects so many of them (5 of 8). The elimination of malaria would boost school attendance, dramatically improve maternal and infant health, free up an estimated 40% of hospital beds in Africa to care for other sicknesses such as HIV/AIDS, and unlock billions in development potential in Africa. There can be no breakthrough in Africa without first addressing the malaria crisis.

Luckily, the crisis is due to be addressed this week in New York, as world leaders gather on Thursday for the 2008 MDG Malaria Summit for the single biggest day of funding announcements in the history of the fight against malaria. Organizing partners Malaria No More, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Department for International Development (UK) and the office of the United Nations Special Envoy for Malaria will be making major announcements toward reaching the target named by the Secretary-General on April 25—that of providing enough mosquito nets and access to medication for every man, woman and child in Africa by December 31, 2010—and the ultimate goal of near-zero malaria deaths by 2015.

It is an ambitious goal but one that can certainly be achieved. The global community will stand together this Thursday to prove that they are committed to it through major initiatives that promise to change the malaria landscape. We’ll act as your fly on the wall at Thursday’s summit and will report back with new commitments from world leaders, corporations and the public sector.

-Emily Bergantino, Malaria No More