January 2013: The UN Task Team for the Post-2015 Development Agenda (UNTT), along with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA), have released a thematic think piece titled “Assessment of MDG8 and Lessons Learnt.”

The paper discusses experiences with the implementation of new international partnerships for development, as well as the overall strengths and weaknesses of the 8th Millennium Development Goal (MDG), on developing a “Global Partnership for Development.”

Identifying strengths of MDG 8, the paper highlights its: simple framework; quantitative targets; focus on donor responsibility and special needs of vulnerable countries. On weaknesses, it emphasizes the Goal’s lack of specific benchmark achievements, omission of non-traditional donors, and lack of data and connections with the other seven MDGs.

Building off of this assessment, the paper offers a number of recommendations for partnerships in the post-2015 development agenda. These include: creation of a simple and transparent framework with clear goals and targets; linkages between development goals and global partnerships; coherence between development efforts; inclusion of new actors; and a focus on vulnerable groups.

This paper is one of nine new think pieces on global partnerships for development in the post-2015 agenda published by the UNTT’s Working Group on the global partnership for development beyond 2015. The think pieces will be synthesized in a report to be published in March 2013. [Publication: Assessment of MDG8 and Lessons Learnt] [UNTT Think Pieces] [UNTT Resources]