(BRUSSELS) - A group of European economists Friday called on rich donor countries to resist "aid fatigue" or risk failing to meet the UN Millenium Development Goals for global poverty reduction.

"There is ... aid fatigue in developped countries, this problem is more pronounced in some countries that in others," former World Bank chief economist Francois Bourguignon said in Brussels.

"In many countries people doubt ... the effectiveness of aid, having the feeling that they already gave too much in the past," he added, presenting a report by a group of economists that he leads.

"Moreover because the budgetary situation is not very favourable, they are against the view that more should be done."

The "recommendation number one" by the group's report, which was commissioned by the European Commission and several EU governments, was that "the donor community must deliver on promises on aid volume and improved delivery.

The Millenium Development Goals (MDGs) were launched with much fanfare in 2000 with the aim of halving poverty in the world by 2015 from 1990 levels.

Although development aid increased at first, it has since then fallen and currently 35 billion dollars more per year is needed to respect the goals.

"If nothing changes, we have to say that most of the developing countries are projected not to meet most MDGs," warned Bourguignon.

A summit is to be held September 25 in New York on the MDGs on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly.

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