Developed, developing countries need to be held accountable for MDGs progress - President Jagdeo tells UN summit


President Bharrat Jagdeo on Tuesday joined other world leaders in New York, where they gathered as part of the United Nations (UN) summit on the Millennium Development Goals (MGGs). The summit was called by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban ki-moon to review, progress against the eight development goals agreed by world leaders in 2000.
            During a packed agenda, he also met with former US President Bill Clinton, and conducted a series of meetings with other world leaders, including Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg and Australian Foreign Minister (and former Prime Minister) Kevin Rudd.
Speaking at the United Nations Headquarters to a round table of leaders which addressed progress towards the MDGs, the President stressed the need to focus on a holistic approach to meeting the goals’ targets. He said that while it was right to hold developing countries to account for their progress, it was also essential to hold the developed world to account – and he highlighted what he described as double standards in global trade, coupled with the un-balanced approach taken to combat the financial and climate crises.
On Tuesday morning, President Jagdeo joined former US President Bill Clinton at the opening of the 2010 Annual Meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative (CGI).
At the opening plenary session, Mr. Clinton and four panelists discussed how corporations, governments, non-profit organisations, foundations, and other stakeholders can collaborate to empower the poor, improve access to education and health care, develop alternative sources of energy, and create a cleaner environment.
Tarja Halonen, president of the Republic of Finland, participated in the panel along with Melinda French Gates, co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Robert McDonald, president, chairman, and CEO of Procter & Gamble, and Eric Schmidt, chairman and CEO of Google.
 “CGI members come from 90 different countries, speak many languages, work in all sectors, and approach problems in unique ways,” former President Clinton said. “But together, their desire and capacity to build a better world for our children and grandchildren has resulted in 1,946 commitments, valued at $63 billion dollars, which have already improved nearly 300 million lives."
President Jagdeo will take part in Thursday’s panel session, which will address investing in the world’s forest, one of the seven special sessions set up by Clinton to address key global priorities.
President Jagdeo’s visit continues until Saturday, when he is scheduled to address the United Nations General Assembly.
The MDGs are  eight international development goals that all 192 UN member  countries  and at least 23 international organizations agreed to achieve by 2015. They were officially established at the Millennium Summit in 2000 where leaders adopted the United Nations Millennium declaration from which the eight goals were promoted. These have 21 targets and a series of measurable indicators for each.
The goals are: eradicate extreme poverty and hunger; achieve universal primary education; promote gender equality and empower women; improve child mortality; improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS and other diseases; ensure environmental sustainability and develop a global partnership for development.