The Millennium Development Goals, How Realistic Are They?

In its Millennium Declaration of September 2000, the United Nations adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), to be reached in 2015 through concerted efforts worldwide. According to UN-calculations, the estimated costs in terms of additional development aid of meeting the MDGs in all countries...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:De Economist (Netherlands) 2006-09, Vol.154 (3), p.443-466
Main Authors: Keyzer, Michiel Alexander, van Wesenbeeck, Cornelia Francisca Adriana
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa
aid
Asia
Child mortality
Cost analysis
Cost estimates
Costs
Developing countries
development
Development aid
Development programmes
Economic development
Economists
F02
Financing methods
Food production
Foreign aid
Funding
Humanitarian aid
Industrial development
International organizations
LDCs
Malnutrition
MDG
Measurement
O19
Objectives
Poverty
Programme evaluation
Public policy
Special drawing rights
Studies
Taxation
United Nations
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Summary:In its Millennium Declaration of September 2000, the United Nations adopted the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), to be reached in 2015 through concerted efforts worldwide. According to UN-calculations, the estimated costs in terms of additional development aid of meeting the MDGs in all countries vary from $121 billion in 2006 to $189 billion in 2015. The present communication reviews the figures reported. It appears that while Asia is well on track to achieve the goals, essentially through efforts of its own, Africa is lagging behind, albeit that according to detailed survey data on weight-for-length among adults collected in Africa for the US aid agency, rates of undernutrition are about 58% of the levels used as a reference by the UN, which are based on assessment of food production. Yet, child undernutrition comes out higher in these surveys. Recalling how hopeless the situation looked some 30 years ago for China, India, and Bangladesh, where unprecedented numbers have now escaped extreme poverty during the past decade and a half, we submit that over a time horizon of about twice the 15 years of the MDG's and with adequate international support, realization of the MDG-targets should be possible for Africa too.
ISSN:0013-063X
1572-9982
DOI:10.1007/s10645-006-9019-9