The MDGs—set forth in 2000 and endorsed by 192 nations—provide the world’s shared framework for development. The MDGs reflect an understanding of the many interconnected factors that contribute to extreme poverty and include time-bound and measurable targets to address income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter and exclusion—while promoting gender equality, education and environmental sustainability.

The eight Millennium Development Goals, to be achieved by 2015, are:

• Cut extreme poverty and hunger by half
• Achieve universal primary education
• Promote gender equality and empower women
• Reduce child mortality by two-thirds
• Improve maternal health, reducing the maternal mortality ratio by three-quarters
• Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
• Ensure environmental sustainability
• Develop a global partnership for development

Goal 8 outlines the practical needs for partnership between developed and developing countries if the MDGs are to be achieved. The Goals are only achievable if donor countries live up to their commitments and play a larger role in their success. Key within that role is: transfer of technology; an open, rule-based non-discriminatory trade system; and, critically, increased and more coherent aid.

Indeed, in 2002, world leaders gathered in Monterrey, Mexico to affirm their commitment to funding efforts to achieve the MDGs. The longstanding target of 0.7% of donor countries’ GNP in aid to developing countries was endorsed anew. Since that date, however, commitments have stalled and most donor countries are not on track to reach this target.

With increased and improved aid, trade and technology, the MDGs can be met by 2015. To date, efforts to achieve the Goals have yielded a number of status indicators to chart progress and challenges; tremendous success stories that demonstrate feasibility; and a roadmap of what still needs to be done.

The interventions needed to achieve the MDGs are basic and practical. Some examples are:

• Low food yields can be improved through fertilizers, seeds and irrigation technologies.
• Malaria can be prevented through the rapid distribution of low-cost, insecticide-treated bed nets; malaria deaths can be reduced by ensuring access to effective medicines.
• HIV can be prevented through public education programs and access to condoms; AIDS deaths can be reduced through access to antiretroviral medicines.
• Maternal mortality can be reduced by increasing access to emergency obstetrical care.
• Primary school enrolment can be increased by eliminating school fees, training teachers and providing locally-produced school meals and separate latrines for girls.
• Access to markets and income-generating opportunities can be improved by developing essential infrastructure, such as roads, ports and networks for information communications technologies.