On 16 March 2010, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon presented his report “Keeping the promise: a forward-looking review to promote an agreed action agenda to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by 2015” (A/64/665). The report was issued, pursuant to UN General Assembly resolution 64/184, to an informal meeting of the UN General Assembly plenary. The report provides information on progress made in achieving the MDGs and calls for a new pact to accelerate the progress in achieving the goals. The report reviews successes, best practices and lessons learned.
Member States generally welcomed the report, with most delegations requesting more time to review the contents and provide comments in due course. The key discussion points focused on a need for greater analysis and disaggregated data, taking into account the specificities of different regional and political groupings of countries (small island developing States, countries in crisis, CARICOM, Africa etc.). The report indicates that achieving the Millennium Development Goals should also contribute to the capacities needed to tackle climate change and that climate-resistant development is imperative. It notes that securing an adequate level of investment is required to overcome the idea of a potential trade-off between development and addressing climate change.
The UN Secretary-General outlined his three-pronged strategy as follows: (i) documenting proven, cost-effective initiatives that can be scaled up; (ii) mobilizing governments; and (iii) public outreach and communication. His expected outcome of the Summit is an agenda of action for the remaining five years that is specific, practical, and results-oriented with concrete steps and timelines as well as defined roles and responsibilities.
Delegations also expressed the view that failure to achieve MDG-8 on global partnership would significantly undermine the progress so far and compromise the achievement of all other development goals. In addition to a political declaration, delegations welcomed the Secretary-General’s call for an action-oriented plan to accelerate progress over the next five years.
Consultations are set to start in mid-April and will conclude a month before the Summit. Additional reports and processes will also feed into the consultations, including the World Bank Meeting on Indicators, the UNDP Synthesis Report of 30 National MDG Country Reports, the 2010 MDG Progress Report, the MDG Gap Taskforce Report, the UNGA consultations with NGOs, the ECOSOC Annual Session, and the Stand Up and Take Action Campaign. [IISD RS sources] [UN Secretary-General’s background document] [UNGA resolution A/RES/64/168]