The Millennium Development Goals -MDGs: A Bold Perspective

Looking at the MGDs the first question that must come to mind should be- is Africa on the road to achieve them? Many might tend to assume that Africa is indeed prepared to change the face of the continent by meeting the MDGs. This is not a firm disposition. In creating the true need for changing Africa, Africans must first of all allow the word “consistent” to mean something important to them.
Frankly speaking, the change which Africa seeks is already engraved on her soil, but recognizing this change involves adopting a new attitude towards development. As long as change is the key word, the younger generation is in a better position to take advantage of all the resources that the modern world has brought. Moreover, the young people are the largest group of people in the world, yet have remained largely vulnerable; therefore, they should seize up the capacity to take responsibility for self by adopting a risk free lifestyle. This is the key to ensuring a generation free of HIV/AIDS… (Action Health Incorporated, 2006) or achieving any of the goals for that matter. It is either this or Africa is doomed to record a notable failure in history by 2015.
The snail-like progress of development in Africa has no aspect that can be considered really encouraging and this is a sad fact. A situation that should prick every normal thinking African, even if for nothing else, this is enough to spring up a flurry of moves to re-orient the African mind-set especially now that the MDGs are a true way to proceed. So let every African encourage the cultivation of these goals in order to harvest a brand new Africa and not dwell on historical failures that have given Africa a bad start. For anyone who is part of the African lot, it is glaring enough to note that not until Africans begin to work hand in hand, nothing will make any difference including the MDGs. Leaders and people in Africa must remember that the MDGs are very important, or it will be like calling for change when the urge to move forward rings false.
In Asia, Vietnam economy, despite all her set back, has grown at an average of 7% every year for the last decade and poverty has decreased almost as fast. Over 20 years the percentage of people living in poverty has fallen from well over 70% to less than 20% today. No other country can boast that it has met the UN Millennium Development Goals of halving poverty by 2015 so far ahead of schedule. In another part of Asia, there is strong evidence of Indian’s unprecedented economic boom, and that if India continues her growth, she could power South Asia into meeting the MDGs. This expectation from india means that the government, national and international organizations, and the entire Indian society have not relented in their efforts and desire towards change.
The Asia and pacific regions as a whole is on track to achieve most of the MDGs. A report from the Asia Development Bank, “Millennium Development Goals; progress in Asia and the Pacific 2006” has it that regional targets such as halving poverty and hunger, achieving universal primary education and eliminating gender disparity in education are on track or have already been achieved. It says progress is impressive compared to sub-Saharan Africa and even Latin America.
For those in these regions, their progress is commendable or can be seen as a big plus. Africa needs to move fast because 2015 has closed in. Alarmingly enough, there is only seven months to the end of 2015.
Combating HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases, reducing poverty and hunger, promoting gender equality and empowering women, reducing child mortality remain the biggest challenge in Africa. In 2011, it was reported that only about 25% of people in need of AIDS treatment in Africa was able to receive it. Aside from ensuring that a large majority of HIV/AIDS patients get treated, African countries need to be among the countries in the International Health partnership (IHP), the reason being that most African countries are either poor or underdeveloped or are developing. But there is strength in numbers. Africa does require outside help in order to achieve the MDGs. Six out of eight and nine out of eighteen targets of the MDGs are linked to health, said Dr Paulo Ivo Garrido from Mozambique (an initial partner country).
Furthermore, the UN Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon has it that “rapid and large scale progress towards the MDGs is feasible (world-wide if we combine strong government leadership, good policies and practical strategies for scaling up public investments in vital areas with adequate financial and technical support from the international community). He went on to say that, to achieve the Goals, majority owned development strategies and budgets must be aligned with them… backed up by adequate financing within the global partnership for development and its framework for mutual accountability.
Barbara Stocking said that the International Health Partnership (IHP) has the potential to save millions of lives, but only if enough countries get behind it and it mobilizes additional and provides co-ordinated and expanded state health provision. This was the same reason why DFID's Dauglas Alexander’s opinion that the globe has to do more to meet her obligations in terms of MDGs, for example, working with other international partners to make sure the commitment at Gleneagles are honoured.
There is need to acknowledge that African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM),  a forum put in place by the South African institute for International Affairs (SAIIA) and known for citing standards, codes and declarations that are the criteria against which governance in Africa can be measured. Some that are issued by the Organization of African Unity, the African union, the United Nations and selected international bodies; will influence development in Africa and consequently speed up the attainment of the MDGs, of course, with the right principles.
Unfortunately, most countries in Sub-Sahara Africa have falling short of meeting the UN goals to cut hunger and child mortality by 2015, according to the new Global Hunger Index. Countries like, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Sierra Leone, Yemen, The Cosmos, Liberia, Niger, Angola and others are the most affected. Ethiopia, Malawi, Mozambique, Ghana have made significant strides, while Egypt, Tunisia and a few others are on track. This is not so encouraging in itself. We can see that children in these regions are suffering greatly… (Developments, 2008).
When you ask people what they think of Africa, they think of Aids, genocide, Disaster and Famine… (Dr Mohamed I. an Ethiopian). This is probably because African states are weak. Her economies are mostly basic (either based on extractive industries or agriculture), with hardly any value added before export. The manufacturing base, power, transport and communications infrastructures are under strength. The health sector is weak along with managerial and skilled worker capacity. Leadership is exceptionally poor, and sometimes corrupt. For these reasons the continent has suffered for years in its dealing with the underworld… (Onyekachi Wanbu, 2007).
There is got to be very practical future projections in Africa. These are challenges that have been staring Africans in the face for a long time, which also means that African leaders ought to have had a better grasp on the roots of their problem. This is what the MDGs require of Africa. It is the same thing that Africa expects of Africans. If the African attitude towards development is not right, Africans need to change it to something that will work. There is one thing that is certain, if the MDGs are met in Africa and around the world, no other challenge will ever be intimidating to scare people, therefore, the question of whether Africa will achieve the MDGs will become irrelevant. But without active commitment nothing will make any difference including the MDGs.