MDGs’ at 10: How to Achieve Sustainable Success in the Implementation of Outcome 2010 UN MDGs’ Summit?

The MDGs’, an international agreement entered into by World Leaders in 2000, with aim of achieving set targets / specific deliverables by 2015, is lagging behind. There was mid term review in 2007. the UN MDGs’ Summit 2010 was a 10 year review with aim of reinforcing work towards achieving the set targets / specific deliverables. It is sad that 10 years after, basic issues that ought to have been decided at commencement in 2000, or during 5 year review that coincided with release of Paris Declaration in 2005 or half term review that coincided with release of Accra Action Agenda 2007 are still being discussed at this 10 year review.

It is clear from points made above that the MDGs’ are Political Statements of World Leaders that are yet to be converted into Strategies, Policies, Programs and Projects; yet to have a Single Agenda Implementation Framework with 3 Master Frameworks – Master Assessment Framework, Master Budget Framework and Master Competencies Framework and yet to have Single National and Global Plan with Self Correction Systems based on Realities of Implementation

At this time in World history, when adverse effects of World Food, Fuel, Finance and Terrorism problems are biting harder, hence the need for Reinforcing Work towards improving Development Impact and development Effectiveness; there is urgent need to ensure the achievement of increasing convergence between Rhetoric and reality; Policy and Practice in the work towards implementing outcome of 2010 UN MDGs’ Summit, if this 10 year review recommendations is not to remain largely unimplemented as was the case with earlier MDG review recommendations. If this is not done, the ultimate consequences for Citizens in both Developed and Developing Countries could be catastrophic.

It would be recalled that there are several study reports over the years from start MDGs’ in 2000 to date indicating that should Nigeria fail to meet MDGs Targets by 2015, the Targets would not be met in Africa or indeed Globally.

The Nigeria National MDGs’ Office, with responsibility for ensuring Nigeria achieve MDGs’ Targets on time and Nigeria National SERVICOM Office with responsibility for Institutionalizing Service Delivery / Performance Management in all Government Ministries, departments and Agencies in Nigeria, are both in agreement that given certain conditions, Nigeria can still meet MDGs’ Targets in the 5 years remaining; yet nothing is being done by the National MDGs’ Office and National SERVICOM Office to ensure that all National and International Stakeholders contribute their quota towards ensuring that these necessary conditions are created and sustained. As long as the practical implementation of outcome of UN MDGs’ Summit 2010, does not effectively help to create these necessary conditions, it would be an uphill task attempting to put Nigeria on Track to meeting MDGs’ Targets by 2015.

We recognize the Policy of Non Interference in the internal affairs of Countries. However, as Nigeria is too rich to be poor and too poor to be rich; as the International Community cannot on its own help Nigeria solve her complex National development Problems; as Nigeria on its own cannot solve her National Development Problems and as Nigeria Poverty and Stagnation is not only a threat to Nigeria’s nascent democracy but also holds back Africa and the World from Winning War Against Poverty, the fundamental issues at stake call for complimentary Policy of Non Indifference that help create these necessary conditions for achieving MDGs’ in Nigeria on successful and sustainable basis. Each success achieved could be benchmarked and replicated in other Countries.

The real and complex Nigeria Political, Economic, Social, Cultural and religious problems and recently Terrorism problems are not Impossible to SOLVE but are Especially Difficult to Solve. Therefore any attempt towards achieving MDGs’ Targets in Nigeria by 2015, that is not interlinked, interconnected and interdependent with attempt towards solving on sustainable basis Nigeria’s Political, Economic, Social, Cultural and Religious problems at all 774 Local Governments, 36 States, Federal Capital territory, National and International levels cannot result in Nigeria achieving MDGs’ Targets by 2015.

The increasing terrorist activities – bomb blasts, religious violence – unchecked, could place additional hurdles on the path of Nigeria’s President Jonathan and Nigeria’s Independent National Electoral Commission in the work towards delivering credible, free and fair 2011 elections. Should 2011 elections record flaws similar to 2007 elections, Nigeria’s future could be threatened. In the event of crisis erupting in Nigeria before or after 2011 elections, the ultimate consequences for Nigerian and Non Nigerian Stakeholders in the Nigerian Economy could be catastrophic.

The point has been made that should Nigeria get on Track towards achieving MDGs Targets by 2015, most if not all African Countries will get on Track meeting MDGs Targets by 2015 and all other Countries would also be on Track meeting MDGs Targets by 2015. identifying this point is one thing, institutionalizing in practice the Strategies, Policies, Programs and Projects and accompanying Single Agenda Implementation Framework is a “Big Challenge”. As long as this Big Challenge is not Professionally tackled, achieving successful implementation of recommendations set out in the outcome of 2010 UN MDGs’ Summit in Nigeria, other African Countries, other Developing Countries, Developed Countries and International Institutions, would most probably be a mirage. The implication is that Operationalization in practice all recommendations set out in outcome 2010 UN MDGs’ Summit greatly depends on UN Secretary General. Leaders G20 Countries, Leaders Non G20 Countries and Leaders International Institutions recognizing that all provisions in outcome 2010 UN Summit are:-

1. Interlinked, interconnected and interdependent.
2. Need to be converted into Strategies, Policies, programs and Projects.
3. Underline need to shift focus away from problems and passing blame and shift focus towards solutions and opportunities.
4. Call fro willingness to try new ideas, new thinking and new ways of doing things; willingness to develop new partnerships, new collaboration and new coalitions and readiness to accept past failure, learn lessons from these failures and ensure that lessons learnt are ACTUALLY learnt.

The reality is that much more could have been achieved in the past 50 years of Nigeria’s independence; much more could have been achieved in the past 10 years of implementing MDGs, than was achieved in Nigeria, Africa and Worldwide. If concerned authorities do not know why each country that is Off Track  is Off Track; it will be especially difficult to know what to do to get each of these countries On Track to achieving MDGs’ by 2015 or 2100. to be in the know on both counts, call for identifying, promoting, protecting and empowering Development Change Champions, who have the necessary Hard Competencies – Learning and Skills and Soft Competencies – Character, Courage and Mindset to grapple effectively with One Global MDGs’ Agenda Challenges and in ways that effectively help all concerned National and International Stakeholders, in each Country – Developed and Developing to wrk more effectively together towards achieving MDGs’ Vision in the 5 years remaining.

This Platform is for Genuine Development Change Champions who are serious about participation in the One Global Agenda to interact, exchange ideas and jointly participate in real Projects designed to Achieve Positive Development Change, in the Common Interest, Common Future and Common Humanity of Citizens in each Developed Country and each Developing Country in our world today. Every Monday we would be discussing a Topic, in which I would make a presentation, maximum 2 pages, for comments and reactions of visitors to this Platform. The comments and reactions should focus on what, why and how questions flowing from opeartionalizing in practice the ideas set out in each presentation.

Appendix

If you want to participate in the implementation of ideas and suggestions generated from discussions on this Platform, we invite you to join Multidisciplinary Professionals Community of Practice on Poverty Elimination and Environmental Sustainability, MPCOP-PE&ES and Comprehensive Systemic Reform, CSR Project. Please send 3PCM and CSR Project enquiry to ispeabuja@yahoo.uk

List of Topics for Next 10 Weeks.

New Topic Posted Every Monday

1. Development Change Champions – Our Global Agenda Publication 1 November 2010 Ref 1/2010
2. MDGs’ at 10: How to Achieve Sustainable Success in the Implementation of Outcome 2010 UN MDGs’ Summit? 8 November 2010 Ref 2/2010
3. Rethinking, Redesigning, Rebuilding Country / International Institutions Advocacy Systems 15 November 2010 Ref 3/2010
4. Transforming Policy, Program, Project Failure into Success 22 November 2010 Ref 4/2010
5. One Worldwide Competencies Framework for All 29 November 2010 Ref 5/2010
6. Reforms for Achieving National Visions and Global Visions 6 December 2010 Ref 6/2010
7. Human Rights and Governance 1 December 2010 Ref 7/2010
8. Religion and World Sustainable Development 20 December 2010 Ref 8/2010
9. New Year; New Hope 27 December 2010 Ref 9/2010
10. Elections, Economic Growth and Pro Poor Institutional Reforms 3 January 2011 Ref 1/2011

Together we can help make our World a Better Place to Live, Work and Recreate for Citizens and Immigrants in all Countries Rich and Poor.