U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called upon advanced nations not to withdraw their pledges to provide assistance to the most poverty-stricken in the world despite the current financial crisis.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the Fourth High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness held in Busan Wednesday morning, Ban said a reduction in aid would not help economies recover and inflict losses on the poorest people in the world.

The U.N. Secretary General also said nations which have become prosperous should teach developing nations using their experience. He emphasized that cooperation must be stepped up among developing and developed nations.