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Jeffrey Sachs
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The recently launched report, Investing in Development: A Practical Plan to Achieve the Millennium Development Goals, unveiled cost-effective measures for reducing poverty and improving the lives of more than one billion people. The study was led by Professor Jeffrey Sachs. Professor Sachs spoke to Rajiv Tikoo of OneWorld South Asia during his visit to India.
The Millennium Declaration came about more than four years ago. Why is the momentum picking up only now?
When you look at the last five years, you will recollect that September 11 happened in 2001. Almost since then the world voice mainly because of the US has been focussed on war and peace issues rather than development issues. So, the agenda got sidetracked and the attention that should have been focussed on the MDGs became focused on the debate over the war in Iraq and, of course, the actual war itself. This was a real mistake. I think a lot of people in the world feel that way. That is why 2005 is important to try to get the world back on course.
Is the momentum picking up because we have Millennium+5 Summit this year? Are there chances that the attention on the MDGs will get diluted next year onwards?
Yes, I think that is right. This is why, in my view, 2005 is a make or break year. Either we get it going or the MDGs will fade away from importance because they wont be achievable any more. That would be a disaster for the poorest countries where the goals represent the difference between life and death. It will also be a disaster because if we get on with a world where there are no shared goals and objectives, the frustration levels are going to be very high in poor countries. The rich world will be seen as having abandoned the poor countries. And in that case, the instability in the world is going to rise tremendously.
You have stressed a lot on action to achieve the MDGs. How does one really go about it?
Of course, it requires a lot of public pressure on the governments to follow through on their word. In the UK, which will host the G8 summit this year, we have seen the launch of Making Poverty History Campaign. It is a mass action campaign that is trying to build public pressure through voters to keep the governments in line with the Millennium Declaration objectives and it is having some success.
Your recommendations have focussed on poverty related issues, but not on poverty directly. Why is it so?
That is right because we are not really talking about transferring money to the poor. We are not really talking much about direct job creation for the poor. We are mainly talking about the tools that poor people and poor communities should have to be empowered and to be more productive. So, its the old story about giving a person the fishing rod and not the fish. We are talking about providing the means to achieve the MDGs.
There is this perception that Goal 8 is weak and its one of the causes of poor follow up on the ODA?
I am satisfied that there is a very specific target, which is 0.7 per cent of GNP in Official Development Assistance (ODA). That for me is the goal. And I believe we are close to getting Europe to confirm that once again. I am quite satisfied that there is movement in the right direction. It is actually pretty good. I dont see that movement in the US right now. But I do see it in Europe and that to me is Goal 8.
What about other countries?
You see, if the money is not there, we are not going to get very far. So, I am trying to work as much as I can to get the money on the table. The most important thing right now is that there are five European countries Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Luxembourg and the Netherlands that have already reached 0.7 per cent target and there are six other countries France, Belgium, Spain, Finland, Ireland and the UK that have recently set a time table for themselves. Germany, I think, is about to announce the time table to reach 0.7 per cent target. They have not confirmed it, but I think its going to happen. If that happens, this will really change the dynamics, at least, in Europe.
I want to see Japan and the US do the same. Japan has a special reason to raise its aid right now as it is trying to become a permanent member of the Security Council. A number of poor countries are going to think whether they should support Japan. They will say that if Japan wants to take on this privilege, then it should also take on a responsibility. This applies to India as well. India wants to be a permanent member of the Security Council. It does seem to me that India too has a responsibility, a need as well as an obvious interest in facilitating the achievement of the MDGs. And I hope to hear the Indian voice vigorously this year not only on its own behalf, but also for the rest of the world.
How would you sum up your recommendations?
Our report takes a firm and simple line-follow through on what you promised. Poor countries promised good governance, transparency, effective use of aid and they should follow through on that. Rich countries promised more aid and should keep up with it. However, the rich countries will not give money to see it go down the drain. The poor countries cant undertake arduous reforms without help because these reforms make sense as part of a process. So, both sides must fulfill their sides of the bargain, which is that the rich countries will give the poor countries ODA of 0.7 per cent. They dont have to beg for it or to be subservient. That is part of a global bargain for a stable and productive world
About Jeffrey Sachs: He is the Special Advisor to United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
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