World
leaders have called for an ambitious long-term Sustainability Agenda to succeed
the MDGs. Building on the successes of the MDGs, this post-2015 Development Agenda
will address any unfinished business of the MDGs and new challenges and
complexities facing the world with sustainable development at its core and
poverty eradication as its highest priority. World leaders will meet at a
Summit in September 2015 to adopt the post-2015 development agenda, including
the sustainable development goals.
We heard that from 30 June to 11 July, the
United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) will connect the many
related efforts to achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), and
consider how to set the stage for success of the global development agenda that
will follow the Goals after 2015.
From 30 June to 9 July,
the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) will meet under the auspices of ECOSOC,
and provide political leadership and guidance on sustainable development. The
forum is an occasion to pause and reflect on how far we have advanced in
shaping the post 2015 development agenda and the sustainable development goals
(SDGs). It will discuss how to chart the way for an ambitious post-2015
development agenda. In the coming years, the HLPF will guide the implementation
of the sustainable development goals after they are likely adopted in September
2015.
Ministers and
high-level officials will measure the progress and identify the obstacles
remaining in the final year to achieve the MDGs, and deliver policy messages to
define a path that sustains development gains into the future at the Annual
Ministerial Review (AMR) from 8-9 July.
Following the AMR, the
Council - ECOSOC will hold the fourth biennial Development Cooperation Forum
(DCF) on 10-11 July to advance global dialogue on the future of development
cooperation in the post-2015 era.
In view of the
above information, we suggest that a Mechanism be put in palce by the Faculty
to harvest good ideas and pertinent suggestions from this course as pass same
to the HLPF, ARM and DCF Meetings through the World Bank Representatives
participting in the meetings.
We urge World Leaders
at the HLPF, ARM and DCF Meeting to recognize that:-
1 1. MDG is already a Global Brand well
understood and accepted by all relevant Sub-national, National and Global
Stakeholders, particularly the Billions of World Poor. Just as World Bank has
Moved from FADAMA 1 to current FADAMA 3, MDG 1 needs to move to MDG 2. If the
Post 2015 Development Agenda shift from MDG to SDG, all Benefits of the MDG
Brand is Lost, SDG Brand has to start from Scratch to gain Global Recognition. Valuable
Time and Resources will be Lost in the Process that could have been more
Productively Deployed if World Leaders Chose to Move from MDG 1 to MDG 2.
2 2. In the work to End World Hunger and
Poverty, Africa is holding the World Back and Nigeria is holding Africa back. Evaluation
Reports abound with Evidence supporting the fact that should Nigeria fail to
meet MDGs’, Africa and indeed the World will fail to meet the MDGs’ by 2015. Given
the realities on the Ground in many Developing Countries particularly Nigeria
and many Developed Countries particularly UK and US etc, it is incomprehensible
that UNDESA has Data suggesting MDG Target of Halving Poverty by 2015 has been
met at this time and many more targets will be met by 2015. The Declaration of G77 and China at their High
Level Meeting in June 2014 noted the progress achieved so far on the MDGs but they were
concerned about the unevenness and gaps in achievement and about the vast
challenges that remain in developing countries, many of which are not on track
to achieving them by 2015. Yet the UNDESA Report claim that the World has met
target on halving Poverty. Appendix 3. This Data if it exists
is NOT CREDIBLE. The Best thing that could be done before MDG 1 end in 2015 is
to put in place a Credible Data System in each Country so that in the post 2015
Development Agenda issues of Non Credible Data does not arise. Any Report that
CLAIM Nigeria has met MDG Target of Halving Poverty now as the UNDESA Report
claim or is on course to meet it by 2015 is a Report written by Authors who are
either in Denial or in Deception. This is unhelpful because Nigeria with Human
Resources many of whom are World Class Professionals helping to build other
Developed and Developing Economies, with Natural and Financial Resources has
what it takes to achieve MDG 1 by 2015 but failed to Do the Needful. Unless Lessons
are ACTUALLY Learnt and Effective Bridge Built between Lessons Learning and
Lessons Forgetting, Nigeria that has already failed to meet MDG 1 Targets by
2015 will also fail to meet MDG 2 Targets with ultimate Catastrophic Consequences
for all National and Global Stakeholders in Nigeria Economy. In such scenario
it is WISHFUL Thinking to expect Terrorism and Insecurity to Reduce or be
Eliminated in Nigeria or indeed the World.
3 3. (1) and (2) present a CHALLENGE Demanding
that Stakeholders at the Grassroots, World Leaders at the Top, and all other
Stakeholders in between, each DO his / her Part to achieve more within MDG 1
before it ends in 2015 and to fully achieve MDG 2 by set Target Dates.
Shout Out
World Leaders at
ongoing HLPF, AMR and DCF can make better decisions if influenced by good ideas
and pertinent suggestions for Ending World Hunger and Poverty being generated
at ongoing World Development Report 2014 Risk Management Massive Open Online
Course, MOOC.
If you require
some clarification or additional information, please send email to:-
Lanre Rotimi
International Society for Poverty Elimination, ISPE /
Economic Alliance Group
