Most African countries unlikely to meet MDG targets before 2015: report

Kibera residents walk along the train tracks that pass through the slum. Most African countries, including Kenya, are unlikely to meet their 2015 target date for the implementation of some of the Millennium Development Goals. PHOTO | BILLY MUTAI | FILE

What you need to know:

  • Report says that although steady progress was made in Sub-Saharan Africa, reaching many MDGs targets by 2015 is unlikely.
  • The report shows the net bilateral aid to Africa, where 34 of the 48 least developed countries are located, fell by 5.6 per cent in 2013.

Most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa including Kenya are unlikely to meet their 2015 target date for the implementation of some of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), a report released by the United Nations indicates.

The report says rising poverty and hunger, conflict and population growth pose the biggest challenges to achieving some MDGs before the 2015 target.

The eight MDGs are: to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/Aids, malaria and other diseases, ensure environmental sustainability and develop a global partnership for development.

The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) report 2014 launched by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in New York says that although steady progress was made in Sub-Saharan Africa, reaching many MDGs targets by 2015 is unlikely.

Despite a new high in official development assistance in 2013, the report says aid shifted away from the poorest countries where achieving the MDGs lags the most.

The report shows the net bilateral aid to Africa, where 34 of the 48 least developed countries are located, fell by 5.6 per cent in 2013.

SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS

And speaking during a media launch of the report at a Nairobi hotel, Ms Nardos Bekele-Thomas, the UN Resident Coordinator, said in a speech read on her behalf by Mr Wilmot Reeves, an Economics Specialist at United Nations Development Programme, that the 2014 global report shows the world had made significant progress on many of the MDGs targets including reducing poverty by half, at least five years ahead of the 2015 timeframe.

Ms Bekele-Thomas said the report shows an increased access to improved drinking water sources, improving the lives of slum dwellers, at least 90 per cent of children in developing countries now have access to primary education and enrolment disparities between boys and girls has reduced considerably.

“Remarkable gains have also been made in the fight against malaria, tuberculosis, HIV and AIDS as well as all other health indicators,” she said.

Ms Bekele-Thomas said despite the reported significant achievements in many of the MDG targets, the 2014 report notes that these achievements have been uneven between goals, among and within regions and countries, and between population groups.

“For instance, the MDG targets related largely to preventable problems, such as reducing child and maternal mortality and increasing access to sanitation are far behind in terms of progress,” she said.

Ms Bekele-Thomas said for the most marginalised and vulnerable in society, social exclusion and discrimination are among the greatest obstacles to progress.

“Unless these imbalances are addressed through thorough and more focused interventions, some targets will not be met, especially those dealing with child and maternal mortality, universal primary education and environmental sustainability,” she warned.

Ms Bekele-Thomas added that if progress is to be made in these areas, it will require concerted efforts to add value to raw materials through an aggressive industrialisation drive that generates decent employment opportunities for the work force in many countries.

She praised Kenya for endorsing and adopting the UN MDG acceleration framework (MAF) used as a tool to fast track progress at the country level on those MDGs that were seen unlikely to be achieved by 2015.

“It is good to note that in 2013, Kenya became one of those countries that adopted the MAF with the support of the UN system in Kenya, and it focused on the critically lagging MDGs-reduce child mortality and improve maternal health,” she noted.

Ms Bekele-Thomas this framework has been finalised and the UN system is now working with the government through the ministries of Health and Devolution and Planning.

She said the First Lady Margaret Kenyatta has also launched an initiative referred to as Beyond Zero Campaign, which also focuses on the lagging MDGs.

“Through this initiative, mobile clinics are expected to be rolled out in all 47 counties. The UN system in Kenya has pledged its firm support to this worthy initiative through a phase by phase approach starting with the 10 poorest counties,” she observed.