| The DATA Report 2008 |
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The annual DATA Report represents an attempt to track down and present progress on the Gleneagles commitments made at the G8 meeting, 2005, on aid donations and the Millennium Development Goals. 8th July 08 - Debt, Aids, Trade, Africa (DATA) Link to the full report: The DATA Report 2008 This report is being released at the midway point of two efforts to realise real change for the world’s poor: in the longer-term effort to achieve the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) between 2000 and 2015, as agreed in the Millennium Declaration of 2000, and the short-term effort to get Africa on track to achieve these goals between 2005 and 2010, as agreed and pledged by the G8 and EU in 2005. It is an important time to take stock of progress to date and to correct the course of action. It is an important time to take stock of progress to date and to correct the course of action. The third annual DATA Report is intended to help policy-makers do just that – take stock and correct the course of action. It is an annual snapshot of progress and a record of the extent to which the 2005 commitments have thus far been delivered. Assistance has increased slightly, and Africans have in fact made tremendous progress using the resources that have reached them. However, even as stories of success should be reassuring the global community that its commitments were worthwhile and that its role in partnership with Africa can truly save lives and offer hope for the future of millions, donors are stalling the full delivery of that which they committed. This should be a year in which the mechanisms for increasing assistance should be fully functional and scaling up rapidly towards the 2010 target. Instead, change remains incremental and tremendous success stories on the ground are not being taken to scale in the manner necessary to realise the shared goals of the international community.
Unfortunately,
as in the past two years, donors are yet again 'off track' in
delivering upon their commitments and, with every 'off track' year that
passes, fully delivering the commitments by 2010 becomes more
difficult. Landmark commitments to increase assistance, to maximise its
efficiency, to make trade finally work for Africa and to offer
universal access to life-saving antiretroviral drugs or even to primary
education are still taken seriously by the citizens in whose name they
were made and by those in Africa striving to fight poverty. (Although
this year’s DATA Report does not include a dedicated chapter to
commitments made on food and sustainable agriculture, we are committed
to including one in next year’s report.) Achieving them is still
possible but it will require redoubled efforts, especially given the
slow start. The DATA Report attempts to more clearly track progress and
to outline the steps needed to reach the 2010 targets and help Africans
get on the right track for 2015.
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