Millennium development goals 8: targets 12 and 13

¶ … Goal 8 Target 12-13

The Millennium Development Goals and Targets have been established by the UN to address some of the problems that nations face on a worldwide scale. The Goals for example concern issues such as poverty, education, health, and financial well-being. Goal 8, Target 12 and 13 concern developing a Global Partnership for Development. Specifically, this ambitious goal entails Target 12, focused upon establishing a system upon which to base predictable and nondiscriminatory trading and financial schemes, which would be open and rule-based. This system would also include good governance, a commitment to development, and the aim of poverty reduction on a national and international scale. Target 13 more specifically addresses the needs of Least Developed Countries, which includes tariff- and quota-free access and debt relief programs.

According to the UN Department of Public Information (2008), meeting these targets have been challenging, specifically in meeting the needs of least developed countries (LDCs), and providing more generous official development assistance (ODA) for countries who have proved their commitment to poverty reduction. In 2007, few countries reached or exceeded the target of 0.7% of gross national income in terms of committing to poverty reduction, while the OECD Development Assistance Committee net aid fell by 0.28% of combined national income for developed countries. In other words, the goals for poverty reduction assistance for the year 2007 have not been met by most developed countries.

The document also quantifies the pledge of donor countries during 2004 to increase their aid commitments from $80 billion to $130 billion in 2010. If inflation values are taken into account, the rate of debt relief increase will have to more than double if these goals are to be met. It is unlikely that the 2010 goal will be realized in the light of the current worldwide recession.

The target of developing an open trading and financial system was not faring much better at the time of the report. Indeed, the collapse of the Doha Round of trade negotiations, which was initiated in 2001, is a major setback for reaching this goal. Debt problems within developing countries are also still very much a reality, with little effect achieved by the MDG. The report does however state that large debt relief has been provided for Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC). At the time of the report, action was projected to continue working towards reducing the debt of those countries who have not received debt relief.

Some progress has been made in terms of access to essential drugs and treatments for HIV / AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, which are particular problems in poor countries. However, a large amount of action is still needed to increase adequate availability to the public. The same situation is true of making available new technologies within poor countries. Rapid progress has been made in terms of mobile phone technology, although Internet access can still benefit significantly from work in this area. These technologies are key to sustaining economic growth and increase productivity within these countries.

Access to electricity remains far from adequate, specifically in sub-Saharan Africa, where as much as 74% of the population remains without electricity. This is one area that needs urgent attention by means of a global partnership between the public and private sectors.

Clearly, there are many gaps that still need to be addressed between the Millennium Goals and reaching the established targets. With the current global economic recession, it is however very unlikely that the 2010 targets will be met, and at least unlikely that the goals for 2015 will be met. However, it is encouraging that an effort is made to improve the situation, despite the financial difficulties experienced across the world.

Despite the gloomy projections in terms of meeting the overall goals, the UN report also cites considerable success in terms of countries using their debt relief for the benefit of their citizens. Tanzania for example used debt relief for its 2002 abolishment of primary school fees, building new classrooms, and new schools. Nigeria and Mozambique respectively used their debt relief towards local poverty reduction, vaccinations, and access to electricity. Kenya increased a more effective malaria drug via public health facilities.

The MDG Monitor (2007) also published a favorable report concerning Yemen's efforts towards achieving the Millennium Goals. Specifically, the country has been working closely with the UNDP in order to establish a partnership for the reduction of local poverty and building infrastructure. Yemen has also established a national development strategy, begun in 2006, which takes much of its inspiration from the results of a UN assessment of their targets.

In terms of the global partnership, the UNDP is also working with multinational companies towards the goal of poverty reduction. The Monitor cites the example of Kenya, where the global Growing Sustainable Business initiative has been established by means of ten partnership projects. In Kenya, this means that business projects are created, with job opportunities increasing; hence reducing poverty.