Archive for September, 2010

Ban Ki-moon Concerned, yet Optimistic

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Though concerned by the slow pace of progress, United Nations’s Secretary General Ban Ki-moon’s words to UN General Assembly were optimistic and forward looking. Secretary-General Pledges to ‘Promote Accountability on All Sides’. Disappointed that progress towards Millennium Development Goals are slow but hopeful and believes they are still achievable by 2015.  He stressed on the need for world leaders to “adopt ‘Action Agenda’ on Way Forward, as General Assembly High-level Review of Progress, to achieve these Goals”.

Recently released status report for MDG as expected showed the great divide across the globe. It shows the huge disparity in availability of the basic necessities of life between haves and have nots. The disparity not only exists between richer and poorer nations, it continues to be the case within the richer nations’ demographics. Some geographies tend to be at a disadvantage either because of economic reasons or because of geographic location. Oceana, parts of Asia  and sub saharan Africa seems to be  significantly lagging behind. Enumerating the successes of the UN  where it made a difference, the Secretary General sounded enthusiastic  about the future.  He concluded the second day on an upbeat note for going  forward.

President Barack Obama delivering his speech at the UN stressed the need for a change in attitude for providing development assistance to the underdeveloped and developing countries. The theme of his speech was that we are all in it together. He stressed that regions of the world suffering from poverty and diseases are global problems that the first world cannot afford to continue to look away from. These things affect everyone and everywhere on the globe,  no matter where one lives. He said   “Together, we can deliver historic leaps in development.”

AndIThoughT© …….. what are the reasons, MDG not being able to deliver what is expected. The current state of the world economy in recession is probably the major one. The donors who promised the funds are unable to meet their pledges. The private sector is a bit skittish as well. The global economic conditions are not very conducive to any type of investments anywhere, let alone in developing countries.  Lets hope the world economic recession eases soon for these goals to become reality.

AndIWondeR© …….. if the governments and citizens of these major regions of the world, lagging behind,  are economically capable of achieving the MDG goals all by themselves.  Can the governments in these regions improve the efficiency of the institutions of the government and the governance process and redirect the savings towards MDG, for the benefit of their citizens. Should the UN pay more attention towards improving  governance in the corruptocracies.

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