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
While G7 finance ministers and central bankers deliberated in Rome over how to deploy resources to rescue their crumbling economies and financial systems, UN and other agencies were there to remind them that global poverty was on the rise again.
“The numbers of hungry and poor are increasing,” warned Lennart Bage, president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (Ifad), noting that the long downward trend in the ranks of poverty had been reversed, partly due to continuing high prices of food and a fall in remittances.
Salil Shetty Speaks to “World Update” on BBC World Service Radio About G-7 Finance Ministers Meeting
In a live interview with World Update on February 13, 2009, the Director of the UN Millennium Campaign calls on G-7 finance ministers, meeting in Rome on February 13-14, to create a vulnerability fund for poor countries and reject protectionism, in order to address the global economic crisis.
Click here to listen to the mp3
The Millennium Development Goals are achievable irrespective of the ongoing economic crisis if countries are persistent in their pro poor policies, says Erna Witoelar, former UN Special Ambassador for MDGs in Asia Pacific. In an interview with OneWorld South Asia, she shares her views on ways to get the goals on track.
The United Nations Millennium Campaign is urging G-7 finance ministers, meeting in Rome on February 13-14 to address the economic crisis, not to forget about the world’s poorest people, who have had nothing to do with the causes of the crisis, but are facing the consequences.
Brasília, January 28, 2009 – Brazilians can now monitor the status of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) through the ‘Portal ODM’ (www.portalodm.org.br), which presents data related to the MDGs in each of the 5,564 Brazilian municipalities.
The global launch of the Portal will take place during the World Social Forum, which is being held in Belém, Brazil, from January 27 – February 1. However, the portal can be accessed as of today through www.portalodm.com.br/index.php.
