News
‘Keeping the Promise’: UN Secretary-General Releases his MDG Report
- 16 March 2010
UNITED NATIONS — UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon presented his report, entitled Keeping the Promise, and in his remarks called for the adoption of a global action agenda for accelerating progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), when world leaders meet at a UN Summit in New York in September.
The report, intended to refocus and accelerate progress towards achieving the MDGs by the targeted 2015, describes and examines elements of success, emerging challenges and opportunities, lessons learned, and provides concrete recommendations for action to speed up MDG progress. Furthermore, the report aims to provide a basis for Government deliberations leading to the 20-22 September Summit on the MDGs.
In Keeping the Promise, Mr. Ban notes that “our world possesses the knowledge and the resources to achieve the MDGs.” That is well illustrated by the example of a number of countries that have made significant progress towards fulfilling many of the MDG targets, such as increasing school enrollment, controlling the spread of diseases like malaria and tuberculosis, and improving child health. Where remarkable progress has been recorded, investments and commitments have been accordingly adequate, consistent and transparent. Yet, the report notes, the picture is mixed.
It states that “insufficient progress” has been made toward gender equality (MDG 3) and “significant progress” on some health-related goals. The notable exception is maternal health, which has made the least progress, according to the report. “ Access to reproductive health services remains poor where women’s health risks are greatest,” it says.
In the least developed countries, progress has been too slow and even set back by the economic, financial and food crises, natural disasters and/or reemerging conflicts. The lack of progress is inextricably linked to inadequate levels of investment, international support and accountability.
The report calls for a partnership of governments, nations, civil society, private sector, philanthropy and the multilateral system to “efficiently, effectively and collectively” work in cooperation towards achieving the MDGs in the five coming years.
With these lessons in mind, the report contends that achieving the MDGs “remains feasible with adequate commitment, policies, resources and effort."
“We must not fail the billions who look to the international community to fulfill the promise of the Millennium Declaration for a better world. Let us meet in September to keep the promise,” Mr. Ban says in his report.
