Kagame hails contribution of MDGs to global development

President Paul Kagame has praised Millennium Development Goals for their role in creating global partnerships and rallying the world to improve quality of life in developing countries. President Kagame was speaking in Oslo at the Global Summit on Education for Development alongside UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon and Norwegian Prime Minister Erna Solberg. The first day of the summit was marked by the launch of MDGs progress report providing the final assessment of global and regional progress toward the MDGs since their endorsement in 2000. MDGs have eight measurable targets aimed at addressing extreme poverty and promoting gender equality, education, and environmental sustainability. The just released report notes that significant progress has been made across all goals and that the global efforts to achieve the MDGs had saved the lives of millions and improved conditions for many around the world. Kagame who co-chairs the MDGs advocacy group said that MDGs had rallied the world to improve the quality of life for people in developing countries and had offered the world a lesson on the importance of political will. The first day of the summit was marked by the launch of MDGs progress report providing the final assessment of global and regional progress towards the MDGs since their endorsement in 2000. MDGs have eight measurable targets aimed at addressing extreme poverty and promoting gender equality, education and environmental sustainability. The just-released report notes that significant progress has been made across all goals and that the global efforts to achieve the MDGs had saved the lives of millions and improved conditions for many around the world. A nurse immunising a baby at Kacyiru Police Hospital. Rwanda is among the few countries that have met MDG on maternal health. (Timothy Kisambira) Kagame, who co-chairs the MDGs advocacy group, said MDGs had offered the world a lesson on the importance of political will. He noted that results were best in countries that had taken responsibility for their development agenda. “We have also learned that the partnership between governments and the private sector must further be strengthened,” the President added. Terming the goals as a springboard to attain higher ambitions, Kagame urged nations and players in development to further work together to ensure the legacy is sustained. Rwanda is among the few countries in the world which achieved and surpassed most of the set targets. Among the aspects where Rwanda had met the targets by the beginning of this year ahead of the June deadline include education, gender equity, maternal health and developing a global partnership for development. Following commendable performance in the goals, Rwanda was in 2014 listed as one of two African countries (out of 10 globally) that will pilot thematic areas in the Post Millennium Goals agenda.

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Kagame hails contribution of MDGs to global development