Goal #8Global Partnership
Introduction
The Millennium Goals represent a global partnership for development. The deal makes clear that it is the primary responsibility of poor countries to work towards achieving the first seven Goals. They must do their part to ensure greater accountability to citizens and efficient use of resources. But for poor countries to achieve the first seven Goals, it is absolutely critical that rich countries deliver on their end of the bargain with more and more effective aid, more sustainable debt relief and fairer trade rules, well in advance of 2015.
The Targets
Goal 8 of the Millennium Development Goals sets out by the year 2015 to:
- Develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, non-discriminatory trading and financial system. Includes a commitment to good governance, development and poverty reduction – both nationally and internationally
- Address the special needs of the least developed countries Includes: tariff and quota free access for the least developed countries’ exports; enhanced programme of debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries (HIPC) and cancellation of official bilateral debt; and more generous ODA for countries committed to poverty reduction
- Address the special needs of landlocked developing countries and small island developing States (through the Programme of Action for the Sustainable Development of Small Island Developing States and the outcome of the twenty-second special session of the General Assembly)
- Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term
- In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries.
- In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications.
Did You Know?
The United Nations estimates that unfair trade rules deny poor countries $700 billion every year. Less than 0.01% of this could save the sight of 30 million people. (Source:ChristianAid)
In 1970, 22 of the world's richest countries pledged to spend 0.7% of their national income on aid. 34 years later, only 5 countries have kept that promise. The UK hasn't. (Source:Save The Children)
Achieving the Goals
Debt relief has helped millions in developing countries provide for their people.
Nigeria is using $750 million in debt savings from 2006 to train and recruit new teachers, while Cameroon is debt savings to launch a national HIV/AIDS plan for prevention, education, testing and mother-to- child transmission abatement.
Read more examples of effective aid from the One Campaign
Goal News
The day before the General Assembly’s high-level summit on the economic crisis, the Director of the Millennium Campaign says financial institutions have received ten times more money in bailouts in the past year than poor countries have received in aid in the past 49 years – showing that finding money is a matter of political will, not lack of resources.
Rome, June 12, 2009: On the occasion of the G-8 Development Minister’s Meeting that took place at the Foreign Ministry in Rome on June 11-12, GCAP Italy organized a stunt in Piazza del Popolo in order to grab the attention of G-8 leaders. A huge weight with the word “crisis” crushed southern poor people while representations of G-8 leaders remained indifferent and kept on drinking coffee and reading the newspaper. The stunt occurred as development ministers met to discuss the impact of the financial crisis on developing countries and sustainable development.
Rome, May 4-5, 2009: The City of Rome today hosted 260 delegates from over 40 countries at the Civil G-8, the forum where representatives of civil society and the most industrialized countries have gathered to tackle some of the most important issues on the agenda for the upcoming G-8 summit. Issues on the agenda include global governance, climate change and the environment, funding for development, health, education, employment, gender equality and the fight against poverty.
Since the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were agreed in 2000, many developing countries have made great strides. The world was on track to achieve at least the first Millennium Goal of halving the number of extreme poor, and it was coming close to reaching several other objectives as well. But the present crisis is wiping out that hard fought progress.
President Obama Strengthens Health and Development with 2010 International Affairs Budget Request
The ONE campaign has a detailed breakdown of the numbers and programs affecting global poverty: http://one.org/c/us/issuebrief/1776/
