The Millennium Development Goals In Action: Part VIII (Create A Global Partnership)

The Millennium Development Goals In Action: Part VIII

Create a Global Partnership

We hear much about the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) but just exactly what are they and what are some real life examples?

Our eight part series, The MDGs in Action, looks at real life examples of each goal and the people working to achieve them.

MDG Goal 8: Create A Global Partnership

A Programme In Action: Oxfam

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MDG 8: Global partnership for development

Since 1999 poor countries benefiting from debt cancellation have more than doubled the total sum that they invest in fighting poverty.

This overarching MDG is central to the achievement of the other goals. It addresses the special needs of the least developed countries, from new states to landlocked countries and small islands. It stresses the need to develop further an open, rule-based, predictable, fair-trading and financial system. It also demands that the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications, are made widely available.

Unfortunately, there are only sporadic indications that the developed world is rising to this challenge. Most of the financial aid that rich countries have been pledging to the developing world has not materialized.

Commitments made in 2005 to increase aid by $50bn by 2010 will be missed by as much as $20bn. Promises to invest more in healthcare and end hunger remain way off track – with both rich and poor countries falling short of their commitments. Only five donor countries - Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden - have reached the UN target for official aid.

Use of information and communications technology continues to grow worldwide, but access to the World Wide Web is still closed to the majority of the world’s people. By the end of 2008, 23 per cent of the world’s population was using the Internet. But in developing countries, only 1 in 6 people were online.

OXFAM: Develop a Global Partnership for Development

Target 8.A:

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

Target 8.B:

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

Target 8.C:

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)

Target 8.D:

Deal comprehensively with the debt problems of developing countries through national and international measures in order to make debt sustainable in the long term

Some of the indicators listed below are monitored separately for the least developed countries (LDCs), Africa, landlocked developing countries and small island developing States.

Official development assistance (ODA)

8.1          Net ODA, total and to the least developed countries, as percentage of OECD/DAC donors’ gross national income

8.2          Proportion of total bilateral, sector-allocable ODA of OECD/DAC donors to basic social services (basic education, primary health care, nutrition, safe water and sanitation)

8.3          Proportion of bilateral official development assistance of OECD/DAC donors that is untied

8.4          ODA received in landlocked developing countries as a proportion of their gross national incomes

8.5          ODA received in small island developing States as a proportion of their gross national incomes

Market access

8.6          Proportion of total developed country imports (by value and excluding arms) from developing countries and least developed countries, admitted free of duty

8.7          Average tariffs imposed by developed countries on agricultural products and textiles and clothing from developing countries

8.8          Agricultural support estimate for OECD countries as a percentage of their gross domestic product

8.9          Proportion of ODA provided to help build trade capacity

Debt sustainability

8.10        Total number of countries that have reached their HIPC decision points and number that have reached their HIPC completion points (cumulative)

8.11        Debt relief committed under HIPC and MDRI Initiatives

8.12        Debt service as a percentage of exports of goods and services

Target 8.E:

In cooperation with pharmaceutical companies, provide access to affordable essential drugs in developing countries

8.13        Proportion of population with access to affordable essential drugs on a sustainable basis

Target 8.F:

In cooperation with the private sector, make available the benefits of new technologies, especially information and communications

8.14        Telephone lines per 100 population

8.15        Cellular subscribers per 100 population

8.16        Internet users per 100 population

Success Stories

In many countries, UNDP already has a long history of working with governments on activities that connect different social and economic sectors. In Yemen, the Government turned to the UN system for assistance with an MDG assessment...

Yemen's latest national development strategy integrates all key issues related to achieving the MDGs, and contains precise targets and specific actions on priorities such as economic growth, access to safe drinking water and girls' education.

In many countries, UNDP already has a long history of working with governments on activities that connect different social and economic sectors. In Yemen, the Government turned to the UN system for assistance with an MDG assessment. Under the leadership of the Resident Coordinator, the UN agencies in Yemen worked closely together on a comprehensive programme of support. Each UN agency offered specialized skills-UNDP and the ILO on economic growth; UNDP on the environment, decentralization and gender; UNFPA and WHO on health and population; and the FAO and WFP on food security. Yemen's latest national development strategy, which began in 2006, draws extensively upon the results of the assessment. It integrates all key issues related to achieving the MDGs, and contains precise targets and specific actions on priorities such as economic growth, access to safe drinking water and girls' education. Yemen is now using the assessment for talks on membership with the Gulf Cooperation Council. Along with a public investment plan supported by UNDP, the assessment also became the basis for a council-sponsored donor conference in late 2006 that raised almost US$5 billion for Yemen's national development strategy.

UNDP works directly with national and multinational companies to reduce poverty and extend services to underdeveloped areas.

UNDP works directly with national and multinational companies to reduce poverty and extend services to underdeveloped areas. In Kenya, under the aegis of its global Growing Sustainable Business initiative, UNDP has established 10 partnership projects to help improve businesses and livelihoods. One project works with Kevian, a juice manufacturer. Until recently, it imported all the concentrates for its mango juice from abroad. Kenya is an ample producer of mangoes, but many rot on the ground due to poor harvesting and marketing systems. The Growing Sustainable Business initiative has worked with local farmers on improved harvesting, marketing and pest management procedures, and linked them to Kevian. The farmers have an opportunity to improve their livelihoods; Kevian benefits from greater flexibility in its supplies and protection from foreign exchange rate fluctuations. Combined, Kenya's 10 Growing Sustainable Business initiative projects are expected to generate over US$70 million in additional revenues and create thousands of jobs, reaching an estimated 42,000 beneficiaries.

Source:  http://www.oxfam.org/en/campaigns/health-education/millennium-development-goals