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The MDG Monitor tracks the progress of Member States towards achievement of the Millennium Development Goals utilising statistical information obtained from UNDP, the UN Statistical Commission and UN Country Teams.  Statistics for 2008 are available for a number of countries. 

The United Nations General Assembly meeting on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in New York on 25 September 2008 saw the broadest ever alliance assembled to fight for the eradication of poverty - over 90 heads of state and leaders of NGOs, business, faith groups, philanthropic organisations and cities. The UN Secretary-General announced over $16bn of new commitments, including $4.5bn for education and $3bn for malaria. In the UK priority areas of malaria, food, education and health, $11.5bn of new commitments were made at the high-level event. The Secretary-General and the President of the General Assembly called for an MDGs Review Summit in 2010.  For a compliation of commitments by Member States made at the High-level event, please see the UN Millennium Development Goals website.

The Archbishop of Canterbury underlined the commitment of the Anglican Church to continue to work for the eradication of poverty.   In a video message the Archbishop backed calls for a renewal of the pledges made by the international community in 2000, and spoke of the need for the Anglican Church to work in harmony with governments and NGOs around the world in order to achieve the Millennium Development Goals by 2015.  

European Heads of State backed an Agenda for Action on the Millennium Development Goals at the June Council. In what has been described as an historic move, EU Member States set out how they intend to keep their promises to the world's poorest people in the short-term by agreeing to the Agenda. In this year of action on the Millennium Development Goals, this is the first collective step towards accelerating progress on the MDGs.

The Agenda commits EU Member states to deliver their 2005 aid pledges. It sets out key milestones to be achieved by 2010  - on education, increased EU investment of 4.3 billion Euros to recruit 6 million of the 10 million more teachers needed globally, and on health an extra 8 billion Euros to provide 21 million trained birth attendants helping to prevent deaths in childbirth.

The UK and the Millennium Development Goals

In 2000, at the Millennium Summit, 189 Member States of the United Nations declared that they would spare no effort to achieve a set of eight goals aimed at raising the level of development, health and prosperity of the globe by the year 2015.  

These goals are:
1. Eradication of extreme poverty and hunger
2. Achievement of universal primary education
3. Promotion of gender equality and empowerment of women
4. Reduction of child mortality globally
5. Improvement in maternal health globally
6. Accelerating the combat of HIV/AIDS, Malaria and other diseases
7. Ensuring environmental sustainability
8.  Development of a global partnership for development

The UK's international development policy is closely aligned with the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).  The UK is the world’s second largest bilateral donor government, currently spending £6.85 billion per year in overseas development assistance, and billions more for initiatives on education, poverty reduction, HIV/AIDS, Malaria and the environment.  The UK is on the forefront in the push to get the MDGs back on track and realise success by 2015.

To find out more about the Millennium Development Goals, please visit the UN website.  To find out more about the UK’s progress in achieving the MDGs, please visit the Department of International Development's website. 

MDG Call to Action

Progress has been achieved on the MDGs, in many countries and on every continent, when the right policies and right reforms have been combined with sufficient resources. But results are patchy and nine years later, and over half way to 2015, we are not on track to meet our historic commitments. Recognising the critical need for revitalization, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown declared a “development emergency” and on 31 July 2007, with the support of UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Prime Minister Brown launched the MDG Call to Action.  This declaration, signed by 13 major countries and 21 major global businesses, seeks to galvanize the support of the international community and accelerate progress towards the achievement of the UN Millennium Development Goals. 

The aims of the initiative are to:
• build a common vision about what needs to be done – scaling up successes and identifying and addressing gaps in current work;
• harness the efforts of relevant international organisations, governments, private sector, civil society, NGOs, and faith groups;
• Identify milestones to both measure international progress towards the MDGs and inspire greater action to achieve them.
• Create the political energy, public interest and specific announcements to make 2008 a turning point in the fight against global poverty.

Now, more than 40 countries have answered the Call to Action, representing in excess of 80% of the global economy and two-thirds of the global population.

To find out more about the MDG Call to Action, please see the Department for International Development's page on the Call to Action.

Business Call to Action

On 6 May 2008, the UK government, in partnership with the United Nations Development Programme, held an event in London to announce the Business Call to Action (BCtA). In attendence were Prime Minister Gordon Brown, President John Kufuor of Ghana, President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, President of the General Assembly Dr. Srgjan Kerim, 29 Ambassadors of Call to Action (CtA) signatory countries, and dozens of top CEOs, leaders from Non-governmental organizations and government Ministers. The event’s goal was to encourage the support and expertise of global business to develop new and innovative ways to spread growth, prosperity and opportunity in developing countries across the world.  By showcasing existing success stories, the BCtA aimed to inspire companies to commit to concrete transformative initiatives that use their core business to support the rapid attainment of the MDGs.  Rather than encouraging more philanthropy or corporate social responsibility, the BctA represents a fresh approach and seeks to support those in the private sector engaged in producing business ideas that are both commercially viable and help to achieve the MDGs.

To find out more about the Business Call to Action, please see the Department for International Development's page on the Business Call to Action.